Cho Jae-jin

Cho Jae-Jin
조재진
Personal information
Full nameCho Jae-Jin
Date of birth9 July 1981
Place of birthPaju, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionStriker
Youth career
1997–1999Daeshin High School
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2000–2004Suwon Samsung Bluewings16(0)
2002–2003→ Gwangju Sangmu Bulsajo (Army)31(3)
2004–2007Shimizu S-Pulse101(45)
2008Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors26(8)
2009–2010Gamba Osaka35(10)
Total209(67)
National team‡
2003–2004South Korea U-2327(11)
2003–2008South Korea40(10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 January 2011.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 January 2010
Cho Jae-jin
Hangul 조재진
Hanja 曺宰溱
Revised Romanization Jo Jae-jin
McCune–Reischauer Cho Chaejin
This is a Korean name; the family name is Cho.

Cho Jae-Jin (born 9 July 1981 in Paju) is a retired South Korean football player. He was a member of national team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Career

Cho emerged as a national star when he played for South Korea in the 2004 Olympics. He was instrumental in Korea's second half comeback against Mali. Down 3–0, between 55" and 62" Cho scored two consecutive goals, both assisted by Kim Dong-Jin. Later in the Mali penalty box, a Mali defender in a vain attempt to defend against Cho, committed an own goal equalizing the game at 3–3. South Korea placed second in Group A and qualified for the next round, in which it was defeated by Paraguay, the runner-up team.

Before playing for Shimizu S-Pulse, Cho had played for Suwon Samsung Bluewings but did not enjoy much success. He is a close friend of Kim Dong-Jin, who was also a member of the 2004 Olympic team and now plays for FC Seoul in South Korea. He has also announced a desire to play in England and has been on record stating he envies Lee Dong-Gook's move to Middlesbrough.

During his highly successful stint at S-Pulse Cho had received offers from FC Utrecht, Ajax, West Ham United among other European teams. FC Utrecht was the team Cho was most likely to sign for, but was reportedly unhappy with the deal offered.[1] Having rejected the move, Cho saw out the final months of his contract with S-Pulse, before again searching for a move to Europe. However, after unsuccessful trials at Newcastle United, Portsmouth and Fulham, Cho returned to Korea in February 2008 where he signed for K. League side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

After a beleaguered season of bad form back in the K-League, Cho signed for Gamba Osaka on Christmas Day of 2008 for a fee of $3.5 Million.[2] There was interest from Qatar's Al-Gharafa which had brought Juninho from the French football club Lyon prior to its offer, which Cho rejected.

On 18 March 2011, he has announced his retirement from football due to continuing problems with congenital dysplasia of the hip.

Other works

In 2004, he was chosen to pose for clothing brand "ASK." Cho has also appeared in advertisements for Adidas and Korean edition of Cosmopolitan. When the South Korea national football team sold football shirts to commemorate South Korea's performance in 2004, 34.5% of buyers who purchased Cho's shirt were female compared to 8% for Ahn Jung Hwan's shirt. He has also been made famous to many due to his prowess in the video game Pro Evolution Soccer 6.

Club career statistics

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Total
2000Suwon Samsung BluewingsK-League5000??50
20013000??30
2002Gwangju Sangmu BulsajoAmateur-----
2003K-League31321--334
2004Suwon Samsung BluewingsK-League810000-81
Japan League Emperor's Cup League Cup Asia Total
2004Shimizu S-PulseJ. League Division 11271011-148
20052993273-3914
200632162130-3717
200728131031-3214
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Total
2008Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsK-League2682152-3311
Japan League Emperor's Cup League Cup Asia Total
2009Gamba OsakaJ. League Division 125103010613511
2010100121040162
Total South Korea 731242528216
Japan 1365511516510117366
Career total 2096715721710125582

International career statistics

[3]

Korea Republic national team
YearAppsGoals
200372
200431
200520
2006135
2007102
200830
Total3810

International goals

Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
25 September 2003 South Korea Incheon  Vietnam 1 goal 5–0 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification
24 October 2003 Oman Muscat    Nepal 1 goal 7–0 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification
19 December 2004 South Korea Busan  Germany 1 goal 3–1 Friendly match
1 February 2006 Hong Kong Hong Kong  Denmark 1 goal 1–3 2006 Carlsberg Cup
26 May 2006 South Korea Seoul  Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 goal 2–0 Friendly match
6 September 2006 South Korea Suwon  Chinese Taipei 2 goals 8–0 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification
11 October 2006 South Korea Seoul  Syria 1 goal 2–1 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification
5 July 2007 South Korea Seoul  Uzbekistan 2 goals 2–1 Friendly match

Team honors

Gamba Osaka

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cho rejects Utrecht switch
  2. ↑ Japan: Gamba Osaka Sign Korea's Cho Jae-Jin
  3. ↑ Cho Jae-jin at National-Football-Teams.com

External links