Park Ji-sung
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Park at the G-20 Seoul Summit in 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Park Ji-sung | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 February 1981 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Seoul, South Korea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (advisor) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Anyong Middle School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Suwon Technical High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Myongji University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2003 | Kyoto Purple Sanga | 76 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | PSV Eindhoven | 65 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2012 | Manchester United | 134 | (19) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Queens Park Rangers | 20 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | → PSV Eindhoven (loan) | 23 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 318 | (45) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | South Korea U20 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2004 | South Korea U23 | 24 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2011 | South Korea | 100 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Park Ji-sung (Korean: 박지성; pronounced [pak̚.t͈ɕi.sʌŋ]; born 30 March 1981) is a South Korean former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in the South Korean capital Seoul, Park is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful Asian players in football history, having won 19 trophies in his career. He is the first Asian footballer to win the UEFA Champions League, play in a UEFA Champions League final, and win the FIFA Club World Cup. Park was able to play anywhere across the midfield and was noted for his exceptional fitness level, discipline, work ethic and off-the-ball movement. His remarkable endurance levels earned him the nickname "Three-Lung" Park.
Park began his football career in his native South Korea and played for the Myongji University team before moving to Japan to play for Kyoto Purple Sanga. After Park's national team manager Guus Hiddink moved back to the Netherlands to manage PSV Eindhoven, Park followed him to the Dutch side a year later. He won two Eredivisie titles, a KNVB Cup and a Johan Cruyff Shield in Eindhoven before his talents were recognised by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as PSV reached the semi-finals of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League. Park signed for Manchester United for a fee of around £4 million in July 2005, and in his time at United won 11 trophies, including four Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. He moved to Queens Park Rangers in 2012 after seven years with Manchester United. However, an injury-interrupted season with QPR, combined with the club's relegation, led to Park rejoining PSV on loan for the 2013–14 season, following which he retired due to a knee injury.
As a member of the South Korea national team, Park won 100 caps and scored 13 goals. He was a member of the team that finished fourth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and also 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, and is currently South Korea's joint all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with three goals alongside Ahn Jung-hwan and Son Heung-min, having scored in three consecutive tournaments.