Suwon FC forward Ji Dong-won, 33, was one of the biggest stars of South Korean soccer in the 2010s. He joined the Jeonnam Dragons in 2010 and quickly established himself as a starter, leading the national team’s attack in major international tournaments, including the 2011 Asian Cup and the 2012 London Olympics. He has also excelled at Sunderland in the English Premier League (EPL) and Augsburg in the German Bundesliga, and has been touted as a future leader in South Korean soccer alongside Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham).
Ji’s soccer career was far from steady, but it began to go downhill as he entered his 30s. Injuries and poor performances led to a narrowing of his position in Europe, and he had to hang up his Taegeuk mark. He decided to return to the K League in the summer of 2021 to turn his career around. However, after joining FC Seoul, 안전카지노사이트 he continued to struggle with injuries and poor performances.
In his two-and-a-half years in Seoul, Ji-Dong-Won scored two goals and two assists in 25 K League 1 games. Considering his name value, this is a disappointing result. “I didn’t perform well after returning to the K League,” he said. I felt very sorry and regretful for not being able to contribute to Seoul,” he reflects.
Fortunately, he moved to Suwon FC this season and is gradually unraveling the mystery of his rebound. One goal in six games may seem like a mediocre performance, but Ji Dong-won’s presence or absence in Suwon FC’s lineup affects the team’s performance. “I have a lot of responsibility to play a bigger role in the team’s offense,” he says.
After a period of stagnation, Ji’s career is now on an upward curve. Instead of saying ‘goodbye’ to a career that seemed to be over, he is looking to rekindle the flame and make a comeback. While his current form may be a far cry from the “genius attacker” who has been capped at every level of the national team since his late teens, he emphasizes gratitude. “I play with gratitude before satisfaction and regret. I was able to see and feel a lot of things while traveling around Europe, and I was able to grow as a person,” he said.
He also encouraged the younger members of the national team, who are competing at the 2024 Asian U-23 Championship in Qatar, which will serve as the final qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics. “This is a time when the U-23 team needs our support,” Ji said. As the Olympic stage is approaching, the players should be able to handle the pressure well,” he said, adding, “If the juniors do their best in their respective positions, good results will come.”