Choi Jin-cheul

Choi Jin-cheul (born 26 March 1971) is a South Korean football manager and former player.

Choi Jin-cheul

Choi in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth	(1971-03-26) 26 March 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth	Jindo, Jeonnam, South Korea
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1993	Soongsil University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1994–1995	Sangmu FC (draft)
1996–2007	Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	241	(18)
International career
2002	South Korea U23	1[α]	(0)
1993	South Korea B
1997–2006	South Korea	65	(4)
Managerial career
2014–2015	South Korea U17
2016	Pohang Steelers
Medal record Men's football Representing  South Korea EAFF Championship 2003 Japan Team East Asian Games 1993 Shanghai Team[1]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Choi Jin-cheul
Hangul	최진철
Hanja	崔眞喆
Revised Romanization	Choe Jin-cheol
McCune–Reischauer	Ch'oe Chin-ch'ŏl

In this Korean name, the family name is Choi.

Club career

Choi played only for K League club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors during his professional career. He played 312 games for Jeonbuk in the K League (including Korean League Cup).^[2] He was a well-built centre-back and was strong on aerial duels and tussles.^[3]

A forward during his school days, Choi played as a striker while Jeonbuk striker Kim Do-hoon was on loan to J.League club Vissel Kobe for two years in 1998 and 1999. He had 17 goals and 8 assists including a hat-trick during that time.^[2]

After winning an AFC Champions League title in 2006, Choi was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.^[4]

International career

Choi was an influential centre-back in South Korea national team. He made 65 appearances for the national team including matches in 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup.^[5] He formed a strong defense with Hong Myung-bo and Kim Tae-young during the 2002 World Cup.

Personal life

In November 2021, Choi signed with DH Entertainment.^[6]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	!Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sangmu FC (draft)	1994	Semipro League							—
	1995	Semipro League							—
	Total								—
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	1996	K League	27	0			2	1	—		—		29	1
	1997	K League	9	0			12	2	—		—		21	2
	1998	K League	11	6			16	2	—		—		27	8
	1999	K League	26	7			9	2	—		—		35	9
	2000	K League	25	2			7	1	—		—		32	3
	2001	K League	21	0			4	0			1[a]	1	26	1
	2002	K League	23	0			1	0			—		24	0
	2003	K League	33	1	4	0	—		—		—		37	1
	2004	K League	17	1	2	0	4	1			1[a]	0	24	2
	2005	K League	19	0	2	0	11	1	—		—		32	1
	2006	K League	16	1	0	0	4	0	10	1	3[b]	0	33	2
	2007	K League	14	0	1	0	1	0	2	1	—		18	1
	Total		241	18	9	0	71	10	12	2	5	1	338	31
Career total			241	18	9	0	71	10	12	2	5	1	338	31

1. Appearance in Korean Super Cup
2. Two appearances in FIFA Club World Cup, one appearance in Korean Super Cup

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year^[7]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
South Korea	1997	1	0
	2001	4	0
	2002	20	1
	2003	8	0
	2004	15	2
	2005	3	1
	2006	14	0
Career total		65	4

Results list South Korea's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Choi Jin-cheul

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	30 January 2002	Pasadena, United States	Costa Rica	1–2	1–3	2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2	10 July 2004	Gwangju, South Korea	Bahrain	2–0	2–0	Friendly
3	13 October 2004	Beirut, Lebanon	Lebanon	1–0	1–1	2006 FIFA World Cup Qualification
4	16 November 2005	Seoul, South Korea	Serbia and Montenegro	1–0	2–0	Friendly

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Note(s)	Ref.
2018	God of Football with Hiddink	Himself
2021–present	Kick a Goal	Himself
2022	Gundesliga	Himself		[8]

Honours

Player

Sangmu FC

• Korean Semi-professional League (Spring): 1994^[9]

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

• Korean FA Cup: 2000, 2003, 2005^[10]
• Korean Super Cup: 2004^[10]
• AFC Champions League: 2006^[11]
• Asian Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 2001–02^[12]

South Korea B

• East Asian Games: 1993^[13]

South Korea

• EAFF Championship: 2003^[14]

Individual

• K League All-Star: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007^{[15][16][17][18][19][20]}
• K League 1 Best XI: 2002, 2003, 2006^[21][22][23]
• AFC Champions League Most Valuable Player: 2006^[4]

Television personality

List of awards and nominations received by TV personality Choi Jin-cheul

Award ceremony	Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
SBS Entertainment Awards	2022	Leader of the Year Award[a]	Kick a Goal	Won	[25]

1. Shared with Ha Seok-ju, Kim Byung-ji, Kim Tae-young, Choi Sung-yong, Lee Eul-yong, Hyun Young-min, Lee Young-pyo, Oh Beom-seok, Cho Jae-jin and Baek Ji-hoon^[24]

Notes

1. Appearance as an overage player in a friendly

References

1. 동아시아축구 대표 확정. Naver (in Korean). The Hankyoreh. 30 March 1993. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
2. [나의 선수시절30] 최진철' 우직하게 한 길 걸어온 대기만성형 수비수 (in Korean). KFA. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
3. 최진철 “한국 축구 기념비적 수비수” (in Korean). Jeju Today. 23 October 2003. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
4. 전북 현대 AFC 챔피언스리그 우승. Naver (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 9 November 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
5. Mamrud, Roberto (16 July 2009). "South Korea - Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
6. Ahn, Ji-young (17 November 2021). 최진철·김정우 ‘스포테이너’ 합류…이천수·송종국과 한솥밥. Naver (in Korean). Munhwa Ilbo. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
7. "Choi Jin-cheul at Korea Football Association" (in Korean). KFA. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
8. Ji, Seung-hoon (14 April 2022). WC 레전드 VS 강철 군대 격돌...'군대스리가', 5월 첫방 (공식). Naver (in Korean). YTN. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
9. Lee, Seung-soo; Schöggl, Hans; Trevena, Mark (13 May 2020). "South Korea - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
10. Lee, Seung-soo; Trevena, Mark (8 April 2020). "South Korea - List of Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
11. Fujioka, Atsushi; Halchuk, Stephen; Stokkermans, Karel (25 March 2020). "Asian Champions' Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
12. "Asian Cup Winners' Cup". RSSSF. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
13. Morrison, Neil (20 December 2019). "East Asian Games". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
14. Stokkermans, Karel (20 December 2019). "East Asian Championship". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
15. 홍명보 ’영원한 왕별’ (in Korean). Kyeonggi Ilbo. 3 August 2002. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
16. [프로축구]이관우 K리그 별중의 별…올스타 팬투표 최다득표 (in Korean). The Dong-a Ilbo. 4 August 2003. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
17. 수원 4인방, 2004 K리그 올스타전 출장 (in Korean). Suwon Samsung Bluewings. 4 July 2004. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
18. 차범근 감독, 수원 선수들과 함께 K리그 올스타전 참가! (in Korean). Suwon Samsung Bluewings. 10 August 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
19. '진공청소기' 김남일, 올스타전 최고 득표 (in Korean). OhmyNews. 9 August 2006. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
20. K리그 올스타전에 나설 별들 확정 (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. 30 July 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
21. 2002년 K-리그 시상식 21일 개최. Naver (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 20 December 2002.
22. MVP 김도훈·신인왕 정조국. Naver (in Korean). YTN. 13 December 2003. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
23. 김두현, 2006 K-리그 ‘최고 별’ (in Korean). Korean Broadcasting System. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 28 April 2020.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
24. Lee, Min-ji (17 December 2022). 골때녀 잔칫날’ 감독진 11명, 올해의 리더상 [2022 SBS 연예대상] [Leader of the Year Award [2022 SBS Entertainment Awards], 11 directors]. Naver (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
25. Lee, Seung-gil (18 December 2022). 유재석, 감격의 '대상' 영예…통산 19번째 트로피 품었다 [2022 SBS 연예대상] (종합) [Yoo Jae-seok had the honor of the "Grand Prize"...won his 19th trophy in his career [2022 SBS Entertainment Awards] (comprehensive)]. Naver (in Korean). My Daily. Retrieved 18 December 2022.

External links

• Choi Jin-cheul – National Team Stats at KFA (in Korean)
• Choi Jin-cheul – K League stats at kleague.com (in Korean)
• Choi Jin-cheul – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Choi Jin-cheul at National-Football-Teams.com