South Korean association football player

Park. In this korean name, the family name is
Park Ji-sung ( korean : 박지성 ; Hanja : 朴智星 ; korean pronunciation : [ pak̚.t͈ɕi.sʌŋ ] ; born 30 March 1981 ) [ note 1 ] is a south korean early professional football player who played as a midfielder. Born in the confederacy korean capital Seoul, [ 10 ] Park is one of the most successful players in asian history, having won 19 trophies in his career. [ 11 ] [ 12 ] He is the first asian football player to have won the UEFA Champions League, to play in a UEFA Champions League final examination, arsenic well as the first asian to have won the FIFA Club World Cup. [ 13 ] Park was able to play anywhere across the midfield and was noted for his exceptional fitness flat, discipline, make ethic and off-the-ball drift. [ 14 ] His noteworthy endurance levels earned him the dub “ Three-Lungs ” Park. [ 15 ]

Reading: Park Ji-sung

Park began his football career in his native South Korea and played for the Myongji University team earlier moving to Japan to play for Kyoto Purple Sanga. After Park ‘s national team director Guus Hiddink moved bet on to the Netherlands to manage PSV Eindhoven, Park followed him to the Dutch side a year later. After PSV reached the semi-finals of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Park ‘s talents were recognised by Manchester United director Sir Alex Ferguson and he signed Park for a fee of around £4 million in July 2005. In his fourth dimension at United, Park won four Premier League titles, the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League, and the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. He moved to Queens Park Rangers in July 2012 after suffering a reduction in his number of appearances for Manchester United the former temper. however, an injury-interrupted season with QPR, combined with the cabaret ‘s relegation, led to Park rejoining PSV on lend for the 2013–14 season. As a extremity of the South Korea national team, Park won 100 caps and scored 13 goals. [ 16 ] He was a member of the team that finished fourth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and besides represented his nation at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. At the World Cup, he was named man of the match four times, the most of any Asian player, [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ] and is presently South Korea ‘s joint all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with three goals aboard Ahn Jung-hwan and Son Heung-min, having scored in three consecutive tournaments .

early life [edit ]

Park was born in Seoul, [ 21 ] [ 22 ] but his family registered his birth in Goheung, Jeonnam, which is his beget ‘s hometown. [ 23 ] He then left for Suwon, [ 24 ] a satellite city of Seoul, and spent his adolescence there. He began playing football during his fourth year of elementary school. During this time, Park attracted attention as one of the most promising young talents in South Korea and was scouted by a number of clubs. He was well known for his excellent workplace rate, mesmerising dribble and accurate passes. however, his little physique became a faint point after he entered middle school. His father, Park Sung-jong, quit his job and started a butcher shop for his son ‘s dream. Sung-jong not lone fed Park unlike meats but besides frogs, antlers and deer blood, in the belief that it would increase his physical abilities. [ 15 ] [ 25 ] While in high school, Park helped his high school team ‘s acquire at high school rival of the korean National Sports Festival in 1998, [ 26 ] though he was at that point rejected by a count of professional clubs and universities, due to his little stature. He ended up playing for Myongji University after Lee Hak-jong, his high gear school bus, strongly recommended him to Kim Hee-tae, the university coach. Park was attached to the university ‘s tennis club at that meter, because the football club was full, so Kim asked the tennis coach for help oneself. [ 25 ] From the winter vacation of his secondary school class, Park began to train with his university team as a prospective extremity. A few weeks later, in January 1999, his university team was given the probability to train with the South Korea Olympic team. After a excellent performance, he attracted the attention of Huh Jung-moo, the bus of the South Korea national team and Olympic team. thereafter he became a preliminary extremity of the Olympic team, and last a conventional member of its team. At 18 years honest-to-god, it was believed that if Park had not been selected for the Olympic team, he would have been selected for the under-20 team rather. This selection was so unexpected for Park and others that it was rumoured that Huh selected Park to fulfil a count after losing to Kim Hee-tae in a game of Go. [ 25 ] On 5 April 2000, in a 2000 AFC asian Cup qualification match against Laos, Park made his introduction as a penis of the national team, along with Lee Chun-soo. In June 2000, while he was a national team extremity and a second year student at Myongji University, Kyoto Purple Sanga of Japan offered Park a contract and he took the offer though he was still a proportional nameless. Park was the first exemplify of a relatively unknown Korean player being offered a contract by a japanese club. [ 27 ] In September 2000, at the 2000 Summer Olympics, his Olympic team failed to advance to the knockout stage, and the South Korea national football team replaced mind bus Huh Jung-moo with Guus Hiddink .

Club career [edit ]

Kyoto Purple Sanga [edit ]

In June 2000, Park signed with the Kyoto-based then J1 League slope Kyoto Purple Sanga. In the spring of 2000, hearing that there was a rising star in Korea, Bunji Kimura, Sanga ‘s coach at the fourth dimension, visited Korea along with other scouts. In a practice game, the rising star did not attract their attention, whereas Park did. In an interview, Kimura said :

In a practice match, a player arrested our eyes. Despite his injuries, Park’s performance was outstanding. Park played only about 20 minutes, however we could see his sense, physical strength, and his potential, so we accepted Park instead of the player we thought. This scout aroused a lot of criticism in Sanga because Park was unknown, to the point that I should resign.[28]

In 2001, the cabaret won the J2 League claim and were promoted to the J1 League. In 2002, Park led the team to the final examination of the Emperor ‘s Cup, and in the concluding on 1 January 2003, he scored the equalizer with a header. The team went on to win the match 2–1 to become the Emperor ‘s Cup champions for the first time in Sanga ‘s history. This was Park ‘s last game for Sanga. [ 29 ] In January 2003, he left Sanga as Guus Hiddink invited him to play for PSV Eindhoven .

PSV Eindhoven [edit ]

After the World Cup, Hiddink was appointed as director of Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. In 2003, Park and South Korean teammate Lee Young-pyo moved to PSV in order to play under their mentor and former home team coach. While Lee quickly became a fastness in PSV ‘s starting line-up, Park struggled ascribable to injuries. He had an operation to remove his meniscus after the wound and this affected his ability. [ 30 ] He felt fear when the ball came to him because he was jeered at by PSV fans disappointed at his performance. [ 31 ] By the end of 2003–04 season, however, Park had begun to adapt to the Netherlands, both on and off the field. In the 2004–05 season, the deviation of Arjen Robben to Chelsea afforded Park more originate opportunities and he quickly proved his worth to the team. Along with Johann Vogel, DaMarcus Beasley and Dutchmen Mark van Bommel and Philip Cocu, Park formed the backbone of PSV ‘s midfield playing period with his pace and passing. [ 32 ] Having been a top subscriber of goals and assists that temper, the highlight of Park ‘s PSV career came when he scored the first goal against italian team Milan in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. PSV went on to win the home plate leg 3–1, but their 2–0 loss during the aside peg mean Milan advanced to the final. [ 33 ] however, thanks to these impregnable performances, Park was chosen, along with Andriy Shevchenko, Adriano, Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldinho, as one of the nominees for the 2005 UEFA Best Forward award. [ 34 ] PSV fans were therefore capture with Park that they wrote a sung about him entitled “ Song for Park ”, which was included on the official PSV album PSV Kampioen. [ 35 ]

manchester United [edit ]

2005–06 season [edit ]

In July 2005, Park chose to join Sir Alex Ferguson ‘s Manchester United. Park signed for the Premier League side for £ 4 million, [ 36 ] subject to a medical and bring allow. He became the second gear East Asian player to sign for Manchester United, [ 37 ] [ 38 ] after Dong Fangzhuo. On 1 October 2005, Park largely contributed to a 3–2 victory against Fulham by assisting two goals and winning a penalty gripe. [ 39 ] On 18 October 2005, Park became the foremost asian to ever captain Manchester United when he took the armband from Ryan Giggs as he replaced him during a Champions League home plate group match against Lille. [ 40 ] [ 41 ] Park ‘s inaugural goal for Manchester United came on 20 December 2005, during a 3–1 gain over Birmingham City in the League Cup fifth circle. [ 42 ] On 5 February 2006, Park appeared to have scored his first Premier League goal, against Fulham in United ‘s 4–2 victory at Old Trafford. [ 43 ] The Premier League ‘s dubious Goals Panel, however, late ruled that this was an own finish due to a deflection off the Fulham defender Carlos Bocanegra. On 9 April 2006, Park scored his first official league goal, netting the moment of a 2–0 home win over Arsenal. [ 44 ]

2006–07 season [edit ]

Park injured his ankle during the match against Tottenham Hotspur on 9 September 2006 and returned to the airfield after three months. [ 45 ] On 17 March 2007, he scored two goals against Bolton Wanderers, the first prison term he had scored more than once in a Premier League match. [ 46 ] In April 2007, Park was sent to America for surgery on a recurring knee injury, putting an end to his season. [ 47 ] Although sidelined by injury for most of the season, he recorded five goals and two assists in 14 appearances, and satisfied enough matches for a Premier League decoration. [ 48 ] however, Park started suffering chronic knee problems which finally accelerated his retirement. [ 49 ]

2007–08 season [edit ]

On 1 March 2008, Park scored his first league finish of the 2007–08 season after returning from his long-run injury against Fulham. His lack of appearances had caused much controversy in South Korea, [ 50 ] but he proved his deserving when he delivered an help to Wayne Rooney in the Champions League quarter-final match against Roma. On 29 April 2008, Manchester United advanced to the Champions League Final after beating Barcelona. Park, however, was excluded from the police squad to face Chelsea in the final despite starting both legs of the semi-final ; coach Sir Alex Ferguson former stated that leaving him out was one of the hardest decisions he had had to make throughout his managerial career. [ 51 ]

2008–09 season [edit ]

early in the 2008–09 Premier League season, in an off match versus Chelsea, Park scored the only finish for United in a 1–1 reap on 21 September 2008, in a plot which he besides won the man of the meet award. [ 52 ] On 13 December 2008, he made his hundredth appearance for Manchester United, starting in the couple against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, the game ended 0–0. [ 53 ] Park was included in the 23-man police squad for the FIFA Club World Cup held at the conclusion of 2008. He missed the semi-final but played the full 90 minutes in the final examination which they won 1–0 becoming the first english side to win the contest. On 7 March 2009, Park scored his first FA Cup goal in the 4–0 quarter-final win over Fulham at Craven Cottage, he latched onto a mislaid elapse by Zoltán Gera finally slotting it into the far corner for the fourth and concluding goal. [ 54 ] On 15 April 2009, Manchester United advanced to semi-finals of the Champions League by defeating Porto 3–2 on aggregate. This made Park the only Asian actor to be separate of Champions League semi-finals on four occasions. On 2 May 2009, Park verbally agreed to a new four-year £50,000-a-week deal at Manchester United, submit, “ I have no reason to move. I play at the best cabaret in the populace. ” [ 55 ] Following this announcement, Park scored his irregular league goal of the season – and third gear overall – in a 2–0 away win against Middlesbrough. [ 56 ] On 5 May 2009, Park scored his first Champions League goal for Manchester United in the second leg of the semi-final against Arsenal at the Emirates. He pounced on a err by Kieran Gibbs and placed the ball over Manuel Almunia in the one-eighth minute, with the game ending 3–1 ( 4–1 on aggregate ), advancing United to the Champions League final for the second class running. [ 57 ] Park became the first Asian player in history to play in a Champions League final, although his team lost 2–0 to Barcelona. [ 58 ]

2009–10 season [edit ]

On 14 September 2009, Park signed a three-year contract elongation with United, keeping him at the club until 2012. Ferguson said during the summer that he was always confident a deal would be done with Park, whose wages were estimated to be about £75,000 a week. [ 59 ] Park started the 2009–10 season ill. He had to be absent again for a retentive period after the international catch against Senegal, because a long trajectory filled his stifle with water in October 2009. [ 60 ] On 31 January 2010, Park scored his first finish of the 2009–10 season, hitting United ‘s third gear in a 3–1 win against Arsenal. His last finish besides came against Arsenal at the Emirates in the same scoreline, coming in the 2008–09 Champions League, this was besides the first clock United had beaten Arsenal at the Emirates in the Premier League. [ 61 ] On 10 March 2010, Park scored his first european finish of the season which was besides his beginning for United in Europe at Old Trafford, hitting the third in a 4–0 gain over Milan. This was besides his second goal against Milan in the Champions League. [ 62 ] On 21 March 2010, Park scored a crucial achiever in the bowler hat against Liverpool, turning in Darren Fletcher ‘s rightist thwart with a dive header. [ 63 ] On 4 May 2010, Park committed himself to United by openly claiming he would like to spend the rest of career with them, saying, “ There is no reason to move to any other team. ” [ 64 ] On 9 May 2010, Park netted on the final examination day of the season, scoring a close-range diving header against Stoke City to wrap up a 4–0 acquire .

2010–11 season [edit ]

Park during a match against Fulham on 22 August 2010 Park returned to the United team for the first base clock following the World Cup as he started against a League of Ireland XI in their concluding pre-season game on 4 August 2010. He marked this game with the first base ever goal scored at the newly built Aviva Stadium, he then scored a second former on as United ended the game 7–1 winners. [ 65 ] On 22 September 2010, Park netted his first goal of the 2010–11 season as he scored United ‘s fourth of a 5–2 aside win against Scunthorpe United in the one-third round of the League Cup. [ 66 ] He then netted in the following round of the League Cup, scoring United ‘s second finish in a 3–2 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 26 October 2010. [ 67 ] Park scored his beginning two league goals of the season in a 2–1 home win over Wolves on 6 November, the second a late winner in the 93rd infinitesimal. [ 68 ] On 27 November, Park scored United ‘s moment goal in a 7–1 home victory over Blackburn Rovers. [ 69 ] Park ‘s performance ‘s during November 2010 helped him gain the Player of the Month prize from the club ‘s web site. [ 70 ] Park was then voted as United Player of the Month for December 2010, grabbing the award for the second month in a rowing. [ 71 ] On 13 December, Park netted the only goal of the pit against Arsenal, [ 72 ] a loop header, his fourth goal in seven starts against them. [ 73 ] Park jetted off to captain South Korea in the 2011 AFC asian Cup and missed seven games for United after the turn of the class. [ 74 ] Upon his refund from the subsequent tournament, he was ruled out for one calendar month ascribable to an hamstring injury which occurred during discipline. He returned to military action for the first gear time since Boxing Day on 2 April, playing 64 minutes of a 4–2 away win over West Ham United. [ 75 ] On 12 April 2011, Park scored his first goal since the turn of the class when he scored the winning goal in the Champions League quarter-final second leg tie against Chelsea, ending in a 2–1 win. [ 76 ] On 8 May, Park assisted Javier Hernández ‘s opening goal with an accurate through-ball precisely 36 seconds after the begin of the crucial match, which about decided United ‘s league claim with a 2–1 victory over rivals Chelsea. [ 77 ] On 22 May, he scored a goal and set up the second base goal for Anderson in the last match of the season against Blackpool. Park played in another Champions League concluding, against Barcelona in 2011, which United lost 3–1 .

2011–12 season [edit ]

During the United States go, Park scored in a 4–1 win against the New England Revolution and in a 7–0 win against Seattle Sounders FC. In the MLS All-Star Game, which Manchester United won 4–0, Park was named the man of the meet after scoring a goal on the throw of half-time. On 28 August 2011, Park scored the sixth goal in an 8–2 home win against Arsenal, curtly after coming on as a second-half substitute. Park made his first beginning of the season in the Premier League in a 2–0 home acquire against Norwich City. Late on in the bet on he was involved in a neat one-two with Danny Welbeck in the creation of United ‘s second goal of the day, which Welbeck finished. On 26 December 2011, Park scored an early goal in United ‘s 5–0 home win against Wigan Athletic with a neat, side-foot finish from Patrice Evra ‘s cutback. He besides won the punishment that wrapped up the winnings which Dimitar Berbatov scored to complete his hat-trick. In an FA Cup fourthly beat clang against Liverpool, Park scored an equalising goal with a depleted finish from a Rafael crabbed to make it 1–1 ; however, United went on to lose the tie. On 5 February 2012, Park made his two-hundredth appearance for Manchester United by coming on as a stand-in in the 86th minute against Chelsea. He became the 92nd player in the history of the club to reach the milestone. On 23 February 2012, Park captained Manchester United for the inaugural fourth dimension from the begin of a match in a 2–1 home frustration to Ajax in the UEFA Europa League. Although the match ended in a frustration, United however advanced to the orotund of 16 with a 3–2 aggregate grade. On 30 April 2012, Park played in the Manchester bowler hat, in a game that was widely perceived as crucial to Manchester United ‘s title defense. Park absented seven straight games by lagging behind in his positional competition at that time, but Ferguson trusted Park ‘s big game ability. however, Park ‘s performance was lethargic and he was criticized by the crush. [ 78 ] Manchester United lost the game 1–0 and Manchester City went on to win the Premier League deed.

Queens Park Rangers [edit ]

Having received less first-team football in his last season at Manchester United, Park moved to Queens Park Rangers for an undisclosed fee on 9 July 2012, signing a biennial compress with the Hoops. [ 79 ] He made his debut in a 5–0 get the better of at home to Swansea City on the open day of the season on 18 August 2012. [ 80 ] Park ‘s foremost season with QPR was largely unsuccessful. Despite initially being made club captain, a combination of injuries and miss of form mean that Park was unable to have the kind of impact that was expected after his sign from Manchester United. Park finished the temper with alone 20 Premier League appearances and no goals, as QPR were relegated from the top flight of English football .

return key to PSV and retirement [edit ]

With QPR no long in the top flight, Park rejoined PSV on loanword for the 2013–14 season. The cover was completed on 8 August 2013, but Park ‘s work permit application delayed his first base plot back for the club. [ 81 ] He scored his first goal against Heracles Almelo at 86 minutes to tie the game on 24 August, his second match with PSV after his return. [ 82 ] On 22 September 2013, Park led a 4–0 victory of team against Ajax with one goal and two assists. [ 83 ] On 14 May 2014, shortly after the conclusion of the season, Park announced his retirement, citing issues with his knee. Reflecting on his career, he said, “ I ‘m leaving with no regrets, I enjoyed playing football. I have achieved more than I thought I would. I ‘m in truth grateful for all the defend I have received and I will live the perch of my life thinking how I can pay it back. ” [ 84 ] [ 85 ]

International career [edit ]

early on career [edit ]

Park began his international career for the South Korea under-23 team as an 18-year-old defensive midfielder, selected by the coach Huh Jung-moo. On 27 May 1999, he made his introduction against taiwanese Taipei in the regional qualifier of 2000 Summer Olympics. On 5 April 2000, Park besides made his senior international debut against Laos in the 2000 AFC asian Cup qualification. In September 2000, Park appeared all three matches in the group degree of 2000 Summer Olympics, and South Korea was eliminated by goal deviation despite two victories in the group. In October 2000, Park played five matches at the 2000 AFC asian Cup, where South Korea finished third base. [ 86 ]

2002 World Cup [edit ]

When Guus Hiddink became the head coach of South Korea, Park ‘s position was shifted to that of a winger ; since then, he has become a versatile musician able to play in a variety show of positions : central, mighty and left midfield, arsenic well as wing-forward. park showed his good condition by scoring against England and France in the friendly matches prior to the 2002 FIFA World Cup. [ 87 ] [ 88 ] Park scored a memorable finish during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. During the group stages South Korea had won their first gear game against Poland and drew against the United States. In order to advance, they had to manage a draw at the least against favor Portugal side, which included Luís Figo and Rui Costa. The plot was 0–0 until the seventieth infinitesimal following two red cards against Portugal, when Park scored the match winner, controlling the testis with his thorax and beat Sérgio Conceição before volleying it through the legs of Portugal goalkeeper Vítor Baía and into the net income with his leave infantry. [ 17 ] His goal eliminated Portugal and advanced South Korea into the knockout stages of the tournament for the first gear time. South Korea finally made it to the semi-finals with victories over Italy and Spain, becoming the first asian team to do so in the history of the FIFA World Cup. Park scored the second penalty in the quarter-final shoot-out against Spain, which South Korea won 5–3. [ 89 ]

2006 World Cup [edit ]

Park was selected for the South Korea under-23 squad for the 2002 asian Games and won a tan decoration. [ 90 ] Park besides played for South Korea in the 2004 AFC asian Cup during July. In the quarter-final, Park assisted the Seol Ki-hyeon ‘s goal, but South Korea lost 4–3 against Iran. [ 91 ] Park participated in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Park drew a crucial free kick that led to a crimson card for Jean-Paul Abalo, and Lee Chun-soo finished the find with the equalising finish in the first Group G match, a 2–1 succeed over Togo. [ 92 ] Park scored the equalising finish in the second Group G couple against eventual finalists France and was voted serviceman of the match. [ 18 ] however, South Korea lost 2–0 against Switzerland in the last group match and failed to advance into the smasher degree .

2010 World Cup [edit ]

On 11 October 2008, Park captained South Korea for the inaugural time in a friendly, which Korea won 3–0 against Uzbekistan. [ 93 ] He was the skipper for the remainder of the reservation campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was South Korea ‘s top scorer with five goals. One of his goals was against Iran in Seoul, beating two defenders then scored with his leave foot. [ 94 ] South Korea advanced to the finals without a single frustration. On 24 May 2010, Park scored the winning goal with a solo campaign in the competition held in Japan merely before the World Cup. [ 95 ] On 12 June 2010, Park netted in his one-third consecutive World Cup, scoring the second goal in South Korea ‘s 2–0 win over Greece in their first gear group match, and celebrated the goal with a double windmill ( swinging both arms round and round off ). [ 96 ] [ 97 ] He became the first asian to score in three consecutive World Cup finals and became Asia ‘s joint all-time leading scorer in the World Cup with three goals, aboard compatriot Ahn Jung-hwan and Son Heung-min, angstrom good as Sami Al-Jaber of Saudi Arabia. [ 98 ] On 22 June 2010, South Korea drew 2–2 with Nigeria and Park won the man of the couple award which is his fourth in the World Cup. [ 20 ] South Korea successfully advanced to the hard stage in the World Cup held in a alien area for the first time, but lost 2–1 against Uruguay in the rung of 16 .

2011 asian Cup [edit ]

Park ‘s church father, Park Sung-jong, said his son has planned to end his national team career after the 2011 AFC asian Cup tournament in Qatar. [ 99 ] Park travelled to the tournament on 26 December 2010 as squad captain. [ 74 ] Park made his hundredth international appearance in the semi-final match against Japan on 25 January 2011. [ 100 ] Park induced a penalty kick which was finished as the open goal but the catch would not end in victory as they lost 3–0 during the penalty shoot-out following 2–2 after extra prison term. [ 101 ] South Korea passenger car Cho Kwang-rae confirmed on 28 January that Park had retired from international duty as he was left out of their 3–2 third place play-off victory over Uzbekistan. [ 102 ] Park was nominated as the tournament ‘s Most Valuable Player alongside Mark Schwarzer, Keisuke Honda and Server Djeparov. [ 103 ] The award was finally won by Japan midfielder Honda. [ 104 ] On 31 January, Park confirmed his retirement from international football to make way for younger players with electric potential. [ 105 ] In January 2014, the national team director Hong Myung-bo wanted Park ‘s return to the team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but Park rejected Hong ‘s trace because his knee was suffering to such an extent that he had to retire. Hong went to the Netherlands to persuade Park, but accepted Park ‘s refusal after checking the condition of Park ‘s knee. [ 106 ]

dash of play [edit ]

Park received much applaud at Manchester United for his accelerate, off-the-ball movement, work rate and energy, which saw him deployed all over the midfield, including in the middle of the peddle, in a holding character, in a box-to-box role or on either wing, where he operated as a defensive winger, endlessly pressing the opposition players. [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 107 ] [ 108 ] [ 109 ] He was besides capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, or even in a more advance role as a second hitter on affair. [ 110 ] [ 111 ] furthermore, Park was known as a adult game actor, as he was often used by Sir Alex Ferguson in boastfully league games or european games where there was an excess emphasis on defensive knead. [ 112 ] In his 2013 autobiography, I Think, Therefore I Play, italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo wrote that Park, who was deployed to man-mark him in matches for both PSV and Manchester United in the Champions League, was the one player that he could not get the better of. Pirlo wrote of Park, “ The midfielder must have been the first gear nuclear-powered south korean in history, in the smell that he rushed about the cant at the accelerate of an electron. ” [ 113 ] In May 2020, former teammate Wayne Rooney said that Park was as important to the Manchester United side of 2006–2009 as he and Cristiano Ronaldo were, commenting : “ It ‘s crazy but if you mentioned Cristiano Ronaldo to a 12-year-old, they would immediately say, ‘Yeah, he was a brainy player for Manchester United. ‘ But if you said ‘Ji-sung Park ‘ they may not know who he was. Yet all of us who played with Park know he was about as important to our success. That ‘s because of what Park gave to the collective and I want to talk about teams. They – not stars – are the most important thing in sport. People say our United team had all these great players. In world our biggest intensity was as a pure counterattacking machine. We would sit back in our shape, win the ball and just go. Park or Fletch [ Darren Fletcher ] – or both – were always involved. They were critical to us. Players like me, Ronaldo, Tevez got the headlines but they [ Park and Fletcher ] were deoxyadenosine monophosphate significant as us if not more, because of what they did for the team. We knew that inside the dress room — and besides that because they were so effective at sacrificing themselves, their actual individual quality was frequently overlooked. ” [ 114 ] Ferguson, in the Amazon -produced documentary Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In ( 2021 ), stated that not bringing Park into the police squad at the 2011 Champions League final examination half-time was “ a mistake ” and that, had he put Park in, specifically to homo set Messi, he believed they would have won that game. [ 115 ]

After retirement [edit ]

On 25 July 2014, Park participated in the K League All-Star Game, and was named the Most Valuable Player with a goal. [ 116 ] On 5 October 2014, it was announced that Park was to take up a function as a global ambassador for Manchester United. [ 117 ] In 2016, Park was selected to participate in the seventeenth edition of The FIFA Master – International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport with a opinion to furthering his ambition of working in sports government. [ 118 ] He graduated from the course in July 2017. [ 119 ] In June 2018, he became a football observer of a south korean broadcasting company SBS, and commented on south korean games during the World Cup. [ 120 ] On 19 January 2021, he joined a K League 1 club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors as the adviser to help the choice, nourish, scouting, and training system of players. [ 121 ] At a similar time, he announced his resignation as United ‘s ambassador. [ 122 ]

personal life [edit ]

family and relationships [edit ]

Park largely kept his personal life out of the limelight and surprised the media by announcing his upcoming wedding to erstwhile television reporter Kim Min-ji at his retirement press conference. [ 123 ] They married on 27 July 2014 in South Korea, [ 124 ] and presently have a daughter and a son. [ 125 ] Park has identified brazilian former holding midfielder Dunga as his football paragon in his early on years. [ 126 ]

charity works [edit ]

Park is the founder of the charitable foundation garment, JS Foundation, set up in 2011, which develop and launch charity programs that will support football infrastructure and besides the necessaries of biography. [ 127 ] [ 128 ] He is hosting the Suwon JS Cup [ ko ], contested between South Korea and guest youth teams, for development of the Korean young person players since 2015. [ 129 ] He has participated in the asian Dream Cup annual jacob’s ladder consequence with a team entitled “ Park Ji-Sung and Friends ”. Fellow professionals who have played with him at the event include companion south korean internationals Ahn Jung-hwan and Lee Chung-yong, North Korean international Jong Tae-se and United teammate and former England captain Rio Ferdinand, while celebrities who have besides done therefore include current cast members and alumni of the popular SBS kind indicate Running Man, including actor Song Joong-ki, singer Kim Jong-kook and rapper Gary. As a leave, Park ‘s participation in the 2012 edition marked his first appearance on the show over three episodes. [ 130 ]

chant [edit ]

During his time with Manchester United, the chant for Park, “ Park, Park wherever you may be, ” included the controversial lyrics generalizing and disparaging Koreans about eating dogs, which was deemed racist. [ 131 ] [ 132 ] Park, who in the first place did not know the chant ‘s meaning, still belated accepted the chant since it meant no damage. [ 133 ] [ 134 ] The tone, however, was late used on other south korean players Ji So-yun and Hwang Hee-chan by Manchester United fans even after Park ‘s retirement. [ 135 ] [ 136 ] When he participated in the anti-racism campaign of a confederacy korean YouTube channel in 2020, the south korean fans criticized Park for tolerating and allowing the racist chant to be used continuously on other south korean players. [ 137 ] Park accepted the criticism and appealed to the United fans to stop singing his chant on behalf of korean players and fans. [ 138 ]

career statistics [edit ]

baseball club [edit ]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club

Season

League

National Cup

League Cup

Continental

Other[a]

Total

Division
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals

Kyoto Purple Sanga
2000
J1 League

13
1
1
0
2
0


16
1

2001
J2 League

38
3
1
0
1
0


40
3

2002

J1 League

25
7
4
1
0
0


29
8

Total

76
11
6
1
3
0


85
12

PSV Eindhoven
2002–03
Eredivisie

9
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
8
0

2003–04

Eredivisie

28
6
1
0

10
0
1
0
40
6

2004–05

Eredivisie

28
7
3
2

13
2
0
0
44
11

Total

65
13
4
2

23
2
1
0
93
17

Manchester United[139]
2005–06
Premier League

34
1
2
0
3
1
6
0

45
2

2006–07

Premier League

14
5
5
0
0
0
1
0

20
5

2007–08

Premier League

12
1
2
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
18
1

2008–09

Premier League

25
2
3
1
1
0
9
1
2
0
40
4

2009–10

Premier League

17
3
0
0
2
0
6
1
1
0
26
4

2010–11

Premier League

15
5
1
0
2
2
9
1
1
0
28
8

2011–12

Premier League

17
2
1
1
3
0
7
0
0
0
28
3

Total

134
19
14
2
11
3
42
3
4
0
205
27

Queens Park Rangers
2012–13

Premier League

20
0
3
0
2
0


25
0

PSV Eindhoven (loan)

2013–14

Eredivisie

23
2
0
0

4
0

27
2

Career total

318
45
27
5
16
3
69
5
5
0
435
58

International [edit ]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team

Year

Competitive

Friendly

Total

Apps

Goals

Apps

Goals

Apps

Goals

South Korea U20

2000
1
0
1
0
2
0

South Korea U23

1999
3
0
5
1
8
1

2000
3
0
5
0
8
0

2002
3
0
0
0
3
0

2004
2
0
0
0
2
0

Total
11
0
10
1
21[α]
1

South Korea

2000
8
0
7
1
15
1

2001
3
0
7
0
10
0

2002
10
1
5
2
15
3

2003
0
0
1
0
1
0

2004
6
0
2
0
8
0

2005
5
1
3
0
8
1

2006
5
1
3
0
8
1

2007
0
0
2
0
2
0

2008
6
3
1
0
7
3

2009
5
2
5
0
10
2

2010
4
1
7
1
11
2

2011
5
0
0
0
5
0

Total
57
9
43
4
100
13

Career total
69
9
54
5
123
14

Honours [edit ]

Kyoto Purple Sanga
PSV Eindhoven
Manchester United
South Korea U23
South Korea
Individual

See besides [edit ]

Notes [edit ]

  1. a b[2] is based on traditional Korean [3][4] According to the [5] Park ‘s master date of give birth, 25 February 1981, is based on traditional korean lunisolar calendar According to the Gregorian calendar, which is normally used today, his date of birth is 30 March 1981 .
  1. a b Does not include three appearances and a goal against club teams .

References [edit ]

far reading [edit ]

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