Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
South Korean football club From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC (Korean: 전북 현대 모터스 FC) is a South Korean professional football club based in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province that competes in the K League 1, the top tier of South Korean football. Jeonbuk have won the K League a record nine times, including five consecutive titles between 2017 and 2021, and the Korean FA Cup five times.[1] Internationally, the club have won the AFC Champions League twice, first in 2006, becoming the first club from East Asia to win the tournament since it was rebranded in 2003. Jeonbuk have also made two appearances in the FIFA Club World Cup, most recently in the 2016 edition. The club's home ground is the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
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| Full name | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Football Club 전북 현대 모터스 축구단 | |||
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| Founded | 1994 (as Chonbuk Dinos) | |||
| Ground | Jeonju World Cup Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 34,276 | |||
| Owner | Hyundai Motor Company | |||
| Chairman | Chung Eui-sun | |||
| Manager | Gus Poyet | |||
| League | K League 1 | |||
| 2024 | K League 1, 10th of 12 | |||
| Website | hyundai-motorsfc | |||
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History
Summarize
Perspective
Beginnings
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' predecessor was founded in January 1993 under the name Wansan Pumas. Oh Hyung-keun was the founder of the team, the first to be named after its home location in K League history. However, they failed to raise enough funds and the club went bankrupt before they could take their place in the K League. Many people wanted to keep the club and Bobae Ltd., a local alcohol producer, offered financial support to the club. In 1994, they joined the K League after renaming as Chonbuk Buffalo, but ran into financial problems and were dissolved after the final match of the 1994 season.
In 1994, South Korea was in the campaign to host the 2002 FIFA World Cup, so Hyundai Motors, who was in the process of building Hyundai Jeonju Plant,[2] took over the Buffaloes' players and formed a new club called Chonbuk Dinos on 12 December 1994. The K League's official policy is that Chonbuk Buffalo and Chonbuk Dinos (later renaming as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) are two different clubs.[1]
Domination in K League and success in Asia (2005–2021)
Since 1994, Jeonbuk had not seriously challenged for the K League title, often languishing in mid-table.[1] After Choi Kang-hee was appointed manager in July 2005, Jeonbuk won the Korean FA Cup in December of that year.[1] In 2006, Jeonbuk finished a disappointing eleventh in the K League, however, they won their first AFC Champions League title.[1] En route to the final, they defeated the Japanese champions, Gamba Osaka, and China's Shanghai Shenhua,[3] as well as Ulsan Horang-i, the South Korean champions, in the semi-finals.[4] They then triumphed 3–2 on aggregate over Al-Karamah, the champions of Syria, in the final.[5]
As AFC Champions League winners, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors qualified for the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup.[6] They lost their first game 1–0 to América in the quarter-finals on 10 December, however, they defeated Auckland City 3–0 on 14 December and finished fifth in the tournament.[6] In 2009, Jeonbuk became the Korean champions for the first time after beating Seongnam Ilhwa 3–1 on aggregate in the K League Championship.[1][7] They repeated the feat in 2011 and won their second domestic title after defeating Ulsan Hyundai 4–2 in the final.[8][9] The same year, they also reached the AFC Champions League final, where they lost to Al-Sadd after a penalty shoot-out.[10]
With significant investment from its parent company, Jeonbuk completed its state of the art Yulsori Clubhouse (club training center) in nearby Wanju County in 2013.[11] Hyundai's generous support and Choi Kang-hee's aggressive play style led to the club dominating the K League for the next several years, with the club winning the 2014 and 2015 titles.
2016 was a tumultuous year for Jeonbuk. The club won their second AFC Champions League title after defeating Al-Ain 3–2 on aggregate,[12] but the team came under fire in the domestic front for allegedly bribing referees through a scout.[13] The club was fined and had nine points deducted from their 2016 league campaign, resulting in rivals FC Seoul claiming the title. Despite being champions of Asia, the club's participation in the 2017 AFC Champions League was revoked due to this incident.[14]
The club continued to enjoy success in the K League, securing the next five consecutive titles.[15] Additionally, they won the 2020 Korean FA Cup, defeating rising rivals Ulsan over two legs to mark their first-ever domestic double.[16]
Decline (2022–present)
The 2022 season marked the beginning of Jeonbuk's decline, dramatically losing the title to now chief rivals Ulsan[17] by three points. The club, however, won the 2022 Korean FA Cup. The following year led to even poorer results, with the club finishing fourth in the 2023 season,[18] their lowest league finish since 2008. Jeonbuk also failed to win a second consecutive FA Cup, being defeated by Pohang Steelers in the 2023 final.[19] The fourth-place finish and failure to win the FA Cup meant the club was unable to participate in the rebranded 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite.
Jeonbuk's decline escalated in the 2024 season, with the club finishing tenth and flirting with relegation for the first time in its history.[20] The club narrowly avoided relegation to K League 2 by defeating Seoul E-Land in the promotion-relegation play-offs.[21]
In December 2024, Jeonbuk appointed Uruguayan manager Gus Poyet in a bid to achieve its former glory.[22] In the club's first competitive match under Poyet, they defeated Thai side Port FC 4–0 away in the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two, including two goals by new signing Andrea Compagno.[23]
Supporters and rivalries
Summarize
Perspective
Supporters
Jeonbuk is the most popular football club and the second most popular sports team in South Korea, with an estimated over two million supporters,[24] larger than the entire population of the North Jeolla Province it represents. The club draws supporters from all over the country and particularly from the Honam region. It has almost half a million followers on TikTok, boosted by the international popularity of former player Cho Gue-sung, who scored a brace in South Korea's group stage match versus Ghana in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[25]
The club's main supporters group is called the Mad Green Boys, and the club's fans have been involved in several notable incidents. In a victorious 2011 AFC Champions League match versus J.League side Cerezo Osaka, a supporter came under fire for holding up a sign 'congratulating' Japan on the 2011 earthquake in the east of the country. The supporter later apologized online for his actions.[26]
Rivalries
Seoul Metropolitan Area clubs
Jeonbuk shares strong rivalries with FC Seoul (Jeonseol Match)[27] and Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Gongseongjeon).[28] The three-way rivalry these clubs share represent the business rivalry between their parent companies Hyundai, LG, and Samsung - three of the largest business conglomerates in South Korea. Their rivalry was the most intense in the 2010s, when Jeonbuk came to dominate the K League while Seoul and Suwon declined.
Hyundai Derby
Since the late 2010s, Jeonbuk's biggest league rival came to be Ulsan HD. Ulsan became the main club to challenge Jeonbuk's domestic dominance, finally breaking the club's five-year title winning streak in 2022. The matches between the two giants, now seen as the biggest derby in the country, continue to be very consequential for both clubs.[29]
Although the parent companies of the two clubs share the Hyundai name, they are legally separate business entities.
International
In the 2010s, Jeonbuk developed an intense international rivalry with Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande from frequently playing each other in the AFC Champions League.[30] The two teams were the dominant sides of their respective leagues and their most frequent representatives on the continental stage. Several South Korean players and staff members were instrumental to Guangzhou's victories over Jeonbuk and in Asia, as the club and other Chinese Super League teams used their large financial backing to attract South Korean talent.[31]
Stadium
Jeonbuk has played its home games at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium since 2002, after the stadium was completed the year before. It has a capacity of 34,276 seats. Their previous home ground was the Jeonju Sports Complex Stadium.
Jeonbuk owns one of the most modern club training facilities in Asia, the Yulsori Clubhouse located in Bongdong-eup, Wanju County, modeled after the training facilities of top European clubs.[32] The state-of-the-art training center includes a large hydrotherapy room, indoor and outdoor training grounds, personal sleeping rooms, a gym, and a cafeteria.[33]
Players
Current squad
- As of 18 February 2025[34]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Backroom staff
Coaching staff
- First team manager:
Gus Poyet - First team coaches:
Mauricio Taricco, Diego Poyet, 
Jung Jo-gook - Goalkeeping coach: Hwang Hee-hoon
- Fitness coach:
Panagiotis Voulgaris - N team manager: An Dae-hyun
- N team coaches: Kim Kwang-suk, Jung Boo-sun, Woo Jung-ha
Support staff
- Team doctor: Song Ha-heon
- Physiotherapist:
Gilvan Oliveira - Medical trainers: Kim Byeong-seon, Lee Gyu-yeol, Noh Sang-keun
- N team medical trainer: Park Jeong-hun
- Analyst: Lee Sun-gu
- N team analyst: Park Jun-wan
- Kit manager: Choi Jae-hyeok
- Interpreters: Kim James Min-su, Pyo Seok-hwan
Honours
Domestic
- K League 1
- Korean FA Cup
- Korean League Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2010
- Korean Super Cup
- Winners (1): 2004
- Runners-up (2): 2001, 2006
- Korean President's Cup
- Runners-up (1): 1999 (reserve team)
International
- AFC Champions League
- Asian Cup Winners' Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2002
Managers
| No. | Name | From | To | Season(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cha Kyung-bok |
1994/11/26 | 1996/12/05 | 1995–1996 |
| 2 | Choi Man-hee |
1996/12/06 | 2001/07/18 | 1997–2001 |
| C | Nam Dae-sik |
2001/07/19 | 2001/10/03 | 2001 |
| 3 | Cho Yoon-hwan |
2001/10/04 | 2005/06/12 | 2001–2005 |
| C | Kim Hyung-yul |
2005/06/13 | 2005/07/10 | 2005 |
| 4 | Choi Kang-hee |
2005/07/04 2013/06/28 |
2011/12/21 2018/12/02 |
2005–2011 2013–2018 |
| C | Lee Heung-sil |
2012/01/05 | 2012/12/12 | 2012 |
| C |  Fábio Lefundes |
2012/12/20 | 2013/06/01 | 2013 |
| C | Shin Hong-gi |
2013/06/25 | 2013/06/27 | 2013 |
| 5 |  José Morais |
2018/12/03 | 2020/12/06 | 2019–2020 |
| 6 | Kim Sang-sik |
2020/12/22 | 2023/05/04[38] | 2021–2023 |
| C | Kim Do-heon |
2023/05/04 | 2023/06/08 | 2023 |
| 7 |  Dan Petrescu |
2023/06/09[39] | 2024/04/06[40] | 2023–2024 |
| C | Park Won-jae |
2024/04/07 | 2024/05/26 | 2024 |
| 8 | Kim Do-heon |
2024/05/27 | 2024/12/16 | 2024 |
| 9 |  Gus Poyet |
2024/12/24 | present | 2025– |
Season-by-season records
Summarize
Perspective
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Domestic record
| Season | Division | Tms. | Pos. | FA Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 | 8 | 7 | — |
| 1996 | 9 | 5 | Quarter-final | |
| 1997 | 10 | 6 | Round of 16 | |
| 1998 | 6 | Round of 16 | ||
| 1999 | 7 | Runners-up | ||
| 2000 | 4 | Winners | ||
| 2001 | 9 | Semi-final | ||
| 2002 | 7 | Quarter-final | ||
| 2003 | 12 | 5 | Winners | |
| 2004 | 13 | 6 | Quarter-final | |
| 2005 | 12 | Winners | ||
| 2006 | 14 | 11 | Round of 16 | |
| 2007 | 8 | Round of 16 | ||
| 2008 | 4 | Quarter-final | ||
| 2009 | 15 | 1 | Semi-final | |
| 2010 | 3 | Quarter-final | ||
| 2011 | 16 | 1 | Round of 16 | |
| 2012 | 2 | Quarter-final | ||
| 2013 | 14 | 3 | Runners-up | |
| 2014 | 12 | 1 | Semi-final | |
| 2015 | 1 | Round of 16 | ||
| 2016 | 2 | Quarter-final | ||
| 2017 | 1 | Fourth round | ||
| 2018 | 1 | Round of 16 | ||
| 2019 | 1 | Round of 32 | ||
| 2020 | 1 | Winners | ||
| 2021 | 1 | Round of 16 | ||
| 2022 | 2 | Winners | ||
| 2023 | 4 | Runners-up | ||
| 2024 | 10 | Round of 16 |
AFC Champions League record
All results list Jeonbuk's goal tally first.
| Season | Round | Opposition | Home | Away | Agg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Group E |  Júbilo Iwata |
1–2 | 4–2 | 1st |
 Shanghai Shenhua |
0–1 | 1–0 | |||
 BEC Tero Sasana |
4–0 | 4–0 | |||
| Quarter-final |  Al-Ain |
4–1 | 1–0 | 5–1 | |
| Semi-final |  Al-Ittihad |
2–2 | 1–2 | 3–4 | |
| 2006 | Group E | Gamba Osaka |
3–2 | 1–1 | 1st |
| Dalian Shide |
3–1 | 0–1 | |||
 Da Nang |
3–0 | 1–0 | |||
| Quarter-final | Shanghai Shenhua |
4–2 | 0–1 | 4–3 | |
| Semi-final | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i |
2–3 | 4–1 | 6–5 | |
| Final |  Al-Karamah |
2–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | |
| 2007 | Quarter-final | Urawa Red Diamonds |
0–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 |
| 2010 | Group F |  Persipura Jayapura |
8–0 | 4–1 | 2nd |
| Kashima Antlers |
1–2 | 1–2 | |||
| Changchun Yatai |
1–0 | 2–1 | |||
| Round of 16 |  Adelaide United |
— | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | — | |
| Quarter-final | Al-Shabab |
0–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | |
| 2011 | Group G | Shandong Luneng |
1–0 | 2–1 | 1st |
| Arema |
6–0 | 4–0 | |||
| Cerezo Osaka |
1–0 | 0–1 | |||
| Round of 16 | Tianjin TEDA |
3–0 | — | — | |
| Quarter-final | Cerezo Osaka |
6–1 | 3–4 | 9–5 | |
| Semi-final | Al-Ittihad |
2–1 | 3–2 | 5–3 | |
| Final |  Al-Sadd |
2–2 (a.e.t.) (2–4 p) |
— | — | |
| 2012 | Group H | Guangzhou Evergrande |
1–5 | 3–1 | 3rd |
| Kashiwa Reysol |
0–2 | 1–5 | |||
| Buriram United |
3–2 | 2–0 | |||
| 2013 | Group F | Muangthong United |
2–0 | 2–2 | 2nd |
| Guangzhou Evergrande |
1–1 | 0–0 | |||
| Urawa Red Diamonds |
2–2 | 3–1 | |||
| Round of 16 | Kashiwa Reysol |
0–2 | 2–3 | 2–5 | |
| 2014 | Group G | Yokohama F. Marinos |
3–0 | 1–2 | 2nd |
| Melbourne Victory |
0–0 | 2–2 | |||
| Guangzhou Evergrande |
1–0 | 1–3 | |||
| Round of 16 | Pohang Steelers |
1–2 | 0–1 | 1–3 | |
| 2015 | Group E | Kashiwa Reysol |
0–0 | 2–3 | 2nd |
| Shandong Luneng |
4–1 | 4–1 | |||
| Becamex Binh Duong |
3–0 | 1–1 | |||
| Round of 16 | Beijing Guoan |
1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | |
| Quarter-final | Gamba Osaka |
0–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | |
| 2016 | Group E | FC Tokyo |
2–1 | 3–0 | 1st |
| Jiangsu Suning |
2–2 | 2–3 | |||
| Becamex Binh Duong |
2–0 | 2–3 | |||
| Round of 16 | Melbourne Victory |
2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | |
| Quarter-final | Shanghai SIPG |
5–0 | 0–0 | 5–0 | |
| Semi-final | FC Seoul |
4–1 | 1–2 | 5–3 | |
| Final | Al-Ain |
2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | |
| 2018 | Group E | Kashiwa Reysol |
3–2 | 2–0 | 1st |
 Kitchee |
3–0 | 6–0 | |||
| Tianjin Quanjian |
6–3 | 2–4 | |||
| Round of 16 | Buriram United |
2–0 | 2–3 | 4–3 | |
| Quarter-final | Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
0–3 | 3–0 (a.e.t.) | 3–3 (2–4 p) | |
| 2019 | Group G | Beijing Guoan |
3–1 | 1–0 | 1st |
| Buriram United |
0–0 | 0–1 | |||
| Urawa Red Diamonds |
2–1 | 1–0 | |||
| Round of 16 | Shanghai SIPG |
1–1 (a.e.t.) | 1–1 | 2–2 (3–5 p) | |
| 2020 | Group H[a] | Yokohama F. Marinos |
1–2 | 1–4 | 3rd |
| Shanghai SIPG |
1–2 | 2–0 | |||
| Sydney FC |
1–0 | 2–2 | |||
| 2021 | Group H[a] | Chiangrai United |
2–1 | 3–1 | 1st |
| Gamba Osaka |
2–1 | 2–2 | |||
 Tampines Rovers |
9–0 | 4–0 | |||
| Round of 16 | BG Pathum United |
1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) | |||
| Quarter-final | Ulsan Hyundai |
2–3 (a.e.t.) | |||
| 2022 | Group H[a] | Sydney FC |
0–0 | 3–2 | 2nd |
| Yokohama F. Marinos |
1–1 | 1–0 | |||
| Hoàng Anh Gia Lai |
1–0 | 1–1 | |||
| Round of 16 | Daegu FC |
2–1 (a.e.t.) | |||
| Quarter-final | Vissel Kobe |
3–1 (a.e.t.) | |||
| Semi-final | Urawa Red Diamonds |
2–2 (a.e.t.) (1–3 p) | |||
| 2023–24 | Group F | Kitchee |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2nd |
| Bangkok United |
3–2 | 2–3 | |||
| Lion City Sailors |
3–0 | 0–2 | |||
| Round of 16 | Pohang Steelers |
2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | |
| Quarter-final | Ulsan HD |
1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | |
- Matches were played at neutral venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with "home" and "away" used for administrative purposes.
See also
References
External links
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