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 54)
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