Lee Eul-yong (; born 12 October 1975) is a South Korean football manager and former professional player.
Early life Lee was born in Taebaek, Gangwon, and attended high school in Gangneung. He continued his football career during his school days, but he failed to join a university football club. He stopped playing football for a while before receiving an offer to join semi-professional club Korea Railroad. His son, Lee Tae-seok, too is a football player.
International career Lee was part of the South Korean national team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Noted for his accurate kicks including free-kicks, he provided two assists against Poland and the United States, and scored a free-kick against Turkey. After the World Cup, he transferred to Trabzonspor with the help of Tınaz Tırpan.
In September 2006, after a match against Chinese Taipei, Lee announced that he would retire from the national team to focus on FC Seoul and also to make way for younger players in the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Personal life Internet meme
Lee is well known by most South Koreans and other Asian football fans for a famous incident which is sometimes referred as "Eul-yong Ta ()," and roughly translated as 'Eul-yong Strike/Smash'. The incident occurred during a match against China in the inaugural East Asian Cup in December 2003.
During the second half of the game, Chinese forward Li Yi kicked Lee in the shins immediately after he finished his pass. Visually upset with Li's violent play, Lee slapped Li on the back of his head. Li Yi started rolling on the pitch grabbing his head in an apparent exaggeration. For a while the entire Chinese and Korean squad ran toward the scene but further conflict did not occur, as the referee awarded a yellow card for Li and red card for Lee. Korea defeated China in the match, and Lee became the source of a popular internet meme after the incident.
Career statistics Club
+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps GoalsKorea Railroad1995Semipro League??????—??Sangmu FC (draft)1996Semipro League??????—??1997Semipro League??????—??Total??????—??Bucheon SK1998K League14320190—3531999K League1713080—2812000K League27530100—4052001K League2621000—2722002K League600010—70Total901190380—13711Trabzonspor (loan)2002–03Süper Lig19020——210FC Seoul2003K League17010——1802004K League1000000—100Total2701000—280Trabzonspor2004–05Süper Lig26030—303202005–06Süper Lig29130—20341Total55160—50661FC Seoul2006K League1402000—1602007K League2202081—3212008K League2100090—300Total57040171—781Gangwon FC2009K League2201020—2502010K League1700000—1702011K League1912010—221Total5813030—641 Career total306132505815039414
International Results list South Korea's goal tally first. +List of international goals scored by Lee Eul-yong No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition1 29 June 2002 Daegu, South Korea 1–1 2–3 2002 FIFA World Cup2 29 September 2003 Incheon, South Korea 8–0 16–0 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification3 4 June 2006 Edinburgh, Scotland 1–1 1–3 Friendly
Filmography Television Year Title Role Note(s) 2015 Cheongchun FC Hungry Eleven Himself 2020 We Can Game Himself 2022 Gundesliga Himself 2022–present Kick a Goal Season 3 Himself
Honours Player Sangmu FC Korean Semi-professional League (Autumn): 1996, 1997 Korean National Championship: 1996
Bucheon SK Korean League Cup: 2000+
Trabzonspor Turkish Cup: 2003
FC Seoul Korean League Cup runner-up: 2007
South Korea EAFF Championship: 2003
Individual K League All-Star: 2001, 2003, 2004
Television personality + List of awards and nominations received by TV personality Lee Eul-yong Award ceremony Year Category Nominated work Result SBS Entertainment Awards 2022 Leader of the Year Award Kick a Goal
References
External links