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Ji So-yun

South Korean footballer (born 1991) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ji So-yun
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In this Korean name, the family name is Ji.

Ji So-yun (Korean: 지소연, Korean pronunciation: [tɕi.so.jʌn]; born 21 February 1991) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Seattle Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League and the South Korea national team.

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Ji is the all-time top scorer of the South Korea women's national team with 74 goals.[2]

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Club career

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Ji with Chelsea in 2014

Ji started her career in Japan, playing for Nadeshiko League champions INAC Kobe Leonessa between 2011 and 2013. In November 2013, Ji was subject to a transfer bid from English club Chelsea.[3] She agreed to a two-year contract in January 2014.[4] When the transfer was officially confirmed later that month, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said of Ji: "She is one of the best midfielders in the world and our fans will love her."[5] In one of her final matches for the Japanese club, Ji scored against her soon-to-be new club, Chelsea, in the International Women's Club Championship final.[6]

Ji was named Players' Player of the Year after her first season in England, as Chelsea narrowly missed out on the FA WSL 1 title on the last day of the season.[7] She was named PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year in April 2015 and was also named in the PFA WSL Team of the Year.[8][9]

In the 2015 FA Women's Cup final, staged at Wembley Stadium for the first time, Ji scored the only goal of the match to win the cup for Chelsea.[10] In October 2015 she also scored in Chelsea's 4–0 win over Sunderland which secured the club's first FA WSL 1 title and a league and cup double.[11]

Ji made her 100th appearance for Chelsea in a 1–1 draw against Arsenal on 1 April 2018 in the middle of the 2017–18 season.[12] She once again contributed to her club's double,[13] as well as advance to the semi-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League in that season.[14]

On 29 August 2020, Ji led Chelsea to a 2–0 win over Manchester City by performing the role of the key playmaker in the Women's FA Community Shield, held for the first time since 2008.[15] She was named the Player of the Match by BBC, which broadcast the match.[16] At the end of 2020, she was on the list of eleven nominees for The Best FIFA Women's Player award alongside her teammates Pernille Harder and Sam Kerr.[17] In the light of her performances for Chelsea over the years and the instrumental role she played in Chelsea's 2020–21 FA WSL winning team, Suzanne Wrack of The Guardian claimed that Ji was the best foreign player in the history of WSL.[18] Chelsea won all domestic cups in addition to the league title during the season, achieving a quadruple.[19]

After spending eight years with Chelsea, Ji left the club following the 2021–22 season. She made over 200 appearances and scored 68 goals in all competitions, and won six league titles, four FA Cups, two league cups, and one Community Shield.[20]

On 24 May 2022, Ji returned to her homeland and joined WK League side Suwon FC, her first spell with a South Korean club.[21] On her WK League debut on 18 August 2022, she scored a brace in a 3–0 victory against Boeun Sangmu.[22] She had helped Suwon advance to the final at the 2023 WK League, and scored two goals in a 3–1 first leg win over Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels.[23] Despite her effort, her club lost 7–5 on aggregate after the second leg.

On 24 January 2024, the National Women's Soccer League club Seattle Reign FC announced that they had signed Ji on a two-year contract through the 2025 season.[24]

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International career

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Ji represented South Korea at senior level before appearing at youth level. In October 2006, she made her senior team debut while playing at the 2006 Peace Queen Cup. On 30 November 2006, she became the youngest goalscorer (15 years, 282 days) for the South Korean senior team after scoring two goals against Chinese Taipei at the 2006 Asian Games.[25][2]

Ji played for the South Korea under-17s at the 2007 AFC U-16 Women's Championship and the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. She scored two goals in four matches at the U-17 World Cup.[26]

Ji participated in the 2009 Summer Universiade when attending Hanyang Women's University. She won a gold medal and the Most Valuable Player award at the tournament.[27][28]

While Ji was part of the national under-20 team, South Korea finished second at the 2009 AFC U-19 Women's Championship and third at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[25] She showed her goal scoring ability at both tournaments, becoming the top goalscorer at the AFC U-19 Championship and the second top goalscorer at the U-20 World Cup, ultimately winning the Silver Ball and the Silver Shoe awards at the U-20 World Cup.[28]

On 13 June 2015, Ji scored her first World Cup goal with a penalty kick in a Group E match against Costa Rica at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[29] After finishing as runners-up in Group E, South Korea reached the World Cup knockout stages for the first time.

Ahead of the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup final, Ji had scored four goals in the competition, including a crucial goal in a 1–0 win over Australia in the quarter-finals.[30] She also scored a penalty that gave South Korea a 2–0 lead at half-time in the final against China. South Korea came close to winning their first major women's football title, but the final ended in a 3–2 defeat after conceding three goals in the second half.[31]

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Career statistics

Club

As of match played 31 March 2025[32]
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  1. Includes Empress's Cup, Women's FA Cup
  2. Includes Nadeshiko League Cup, FA Women's League Cup (FA WSL Cup)
  3. Includes UEFA Women's Champions League
  4. Appearances in International Women's Club Championship
  5. Appearance in Women's FA Community Shield
  6. Appearances in WK League play-offs
  7. Appearances in NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup

International

Scores and results list South Korea's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ji goal.
More information No., Date ...
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Honours

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INAC Kobe Leonessa

Chelsea[32]

South Korea U20

South Korea Universiade[27]

South Korea

Individual

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References

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