Choi Yong-soo, the head coach of FC Seoul, was selected as one of the five foreign players who shone for J.League team JEF United Ichihara Chiba during his active playing career. Photo by Korea Professional Football League
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Min Jun-young] Choi Yong-soo (47), the head coach of FC Seoul, has been included among the top 5 greatest foreign players in the history of the Japanese J-League club JEF United Ichihara Chiba (JEF Chiba), where he played during his active career.
On the 21st, the Japanese football specialized media Football Channel announced the top 5 all-time best foreign players who have played for JEF Chiba.
The all-time greatest foreign players of JEF Chiba, currently managed by coach Yoon Jung-hwan, include Coach Choi, former West German players Pierre Littbarski and Frank Ordenewitz (both Germany), Nenad Maslovar (Serbia and Montenegro), and Ilian Stoyanov (Bulgaria).
Coach Choi Yong-soo debuted in the K-League in 1994 with Anyang LG, the predecessor of FC Seoul, and won the Rookie of the Year award. After receiving the MVP award in 2000, he joined JEF United Ichihara in 2001 and entered the Japanese J-League.
Football Channel, introducing Coach Choi, praised him as "the ace of the South Korean national team," explaining that "he scored 21 goals immediately after joining JEF in 2001, lifting the team from the lower ranks to 3rd place in the league."
They continued, "Wearing the number 10 jersey and playing as a striker, he scored 54 goals in 73 matches over three years."
Additionally, "He also made a remarkable achievement by appearing in 69 A-match games for the South Korean national team and scoring 27 goals," and added, "After retiring as a player, he has been leading FC Seoul. In 2013, he won the AFC Coach of the Year award along with finishing as runner-up in the AFC Champions League."
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