Lee Keun-ho (; born 11 April 1985) is a South Korean former footballer who played as a forward. His pace, work-rate, and link-up plays mark him as a highly rated forward in Asia. A South Korean international from 2007 to 2014, he scored 19 goals in 84 caps for the national team. He represented his country in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Club career After graduating from Bupyeong High School, Lee joined local side Incheon United in 2004. He stayed in Incheon's reserve team for three years, but got a chance to play for a K League club after winning the Best Player award in the R League contested between reserve teams. Daegu FC signed him at the beginning of 2007 season.
Daegu FC manager Byun Byung-joo brought the fast and extremely aggressive "bullet football" tactic to his team. bringin Lee into the spotlight. He became the top scorer among South Korean players in 2007 and 2008 K League.
Lee wanted to leave for Europe after the end of the contract with Daegu in December 2008. Several European clubs showed their interest in him, and he was offered a trial from Premier League club Blackburn Rovers. However, he turned it down because he worried about the hard competition for a starting position in Blackburn. He signed for J1 League club Júbilo Iwata on a nine-month contract in April 2009. He tried to move to Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain in June after playing for Júbilo Iwata for two months, but failed to negotiate with Paris. He finally signed a contract extension with Júbilo Iwata until July 2010.
Lee joined Gamba Osaka in June 2010. He scored 15 goals while playing 32 matches for Gamba in the 2011 J1 League.
On 10 January 2012, he returned to South Korea, signing for Ulsan Hyundai on a three-year deal. During a year in Ulsan, he led his team to the AFC Champions League title, winning the Asian Footballer of the Year award and the Champions League MVP award. The next year, he was transferred to Sangju Sangmu to perform his military service as per South Korean law.
International career Lee was selected for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in Netherlands. However, for most matches, he remained in the bench, not playing a single match in the group stage, while his team-mate Park Chu-young made good impressions. He was confirmed in the Summer Olympics squad in 2006, and became the most valuable player in the squad to qualify for the Olympic games. He was selected for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, and also capped for the South Korea under-23 team in qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
On 29 June 2007, Lee made his senior team debut in a friendly against Iraq through substitution in the second half. Lee also managed to score his debut goal from an assist made by Lee Chun-soo. On 15 October 2008, Lee scored two goals in a qualification match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup against United Arab Emirates. On 19 November 2008, Lee scored the most important goal in his international career yet in an away game against Saudi Arabia, which ended South Korea's nineteen-year losing spell against the Saudis. Although he played in most of the qualification campaign, he was not named for the team to participate in the 2010 World Cup.
Lee was included in South Korea's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by showing good performances with three goals in the final round of the qualification. In their first group stage match against Russia on 17 June 2014, he came on as a substitute for Park Chu-young in the 52nd minute and scored his first ever World Cup goal in a 1–1 draw when his shot from outside the box was spilled by goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev over his head and over the line. He also assisted Koo Ja-cheol's goal in the second match against Algeria.
Personal life Lee was born in Incheon, South Korea. He is well known for his friendship with Ha Dae-sung. Having played together in elementary, middle, and high school, they also played together at Daegu FC. His older brother Lee Won-ho is coaching a local side in Incheon.
Lee is the inaugural president of FIFPro Korea, South Korea's official players' union, since it gained Candidate Member status.
He has been supporting a former football player who suffered a heart attack during a match in 2011.
In 2015, he was appointed as the promotional ambassador of the Purme Foundation, which helps disabled children in their path of rehabilitation and is based in Gangneung. During his fellowship with the association, he organized several charity football matches and clinics to help the child patients by providing them with scholarships and appropriate equipment. In 2017, he also donated a correspondent of ₩100 million (about $90,200) to the foundation.
Following the forest wildfire that brought severe damages all over the Gangwon Province in 2019, Lee offered financial support to help the process of recover and rebuilding. He also made donations to the local health services in order to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to his leading attitude both on and off the pitch and his charity activities, Lee was nominated for the 2020 FIFPro Merit Awards, three special prizes assigned to the footballers who distinguished themselves the most for their impact out of the playing field and their activism.
Career statistics Club
+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps GoalsIncheon United2004K League001000——102005K League001050——602006K League200010——30Total202060——100 Daegu FC2007K League2082072——29102008K League26113262——3515Total461952134——6425 Júbilo Iwata2009J1 League24121110——26132010J1 League1210041——162Total36131151——4215Gamba Osaka2010J1 League2045100——2552011J1 League3215100072—4017Total5219610072—6522Ulsan Hyundai2012K League33821—124214914Sangju Sangmu (draft)2013K League 2251520——2029152014K League 118400———184Total431920——204719El Jaish2014–15Qatar Stars League18230—20—232Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (loan)2015K League 1154——20—174Jeju United2016K League 135510———365Gangwon FC2017K League 137820———3982018K League 113000———130Total50820———528Ulsan Hyundai2018K League 122451———2752019K League 118200—30—2122020K League 112030—80—230Total52681—110—717 Daegu FC (loan)2021K League 130350—71—424Daegu FC2022K League 131220—83—4152023K League 132221———343Total63441—83—758 Career total475110417245491041593133
International +Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsSouth Korea2007312008115200913220105020117220128520131132014121201550201760201830Career total8419
+List of international goals scored by Lee Keun-ho No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition1 29 June 2007 Seogwipo, South Korea 3–0 3–0 Friendly2 11 October 2008 Suwon, South Korea 2–0 3–0 Friendly3 3–04 15 October 2008 Seoul, South Korea 1–0 4–1 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification5 3–16 19 November 2008 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 1–0 2–0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification7 4 February 2009 Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2–2 2–2 Friendly8 28 March 2009 Suwon, South Korea 2–1 2–1 Friendly9 25 March 2011 Seoul, South Korea 4–0 4–0 Friendly10 11 November 2011 Dubai, United Arab Emirates 1–0 2–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification11 29 February 2012 Seoul, South Korea 2–0 2–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification12 8 June 2012 Doha, Qatar 1–1 4–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification13 4–114 15 August 2012 Anyang, South Korea 1–0 2–1 Friendly15 2–116 26 March 2013 Seoul, South Korea 1–0 2–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification17 6 September 2013 Incheon, South Korea 3–1 4–1 Friendly18 10 September 2013 Jeonju, South Korea 1–2 1–2 Friendly19 17 June 2014 Cuiabá, Brazil 1–0 1–1 2014 FIFA World Cup
Honours Júbilo Iwata J.League Cup: 2010
Ulsan Hyundai Korean FA Cup runner-up: 2018 AFC Champions League: 2012, 2020
Sangju Sangmu K League 2: 2013
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors K League 1: 2015
South Korea AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 2015 EAFF Championship: 2008, 2017
Individual K League All-Star: 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 K League 1 Best XI: 2007, 2008, 2012, 2017 AFC Champions League Most Valuable Player: 2012 AFC Player of the Year: 2012 K League 2 Most Valuable Player: 2013 K League 2 top goalscorer: 2013 K League 2 Best XI: 2013 Korean FA Goal of the Year: 2014
References
External links
イ･グノ ジュビロ磐田 Jubilo IWATA
Lee Keun-ho – National Team stats at KFA