Ahn Ji-ho (footballer) | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Ahn Ji-ho (안지호^Korean; born April 24, 1987) is a South Korean professional footballer who primarily plays as a defender, specifically a center-back. He currently plays for Hwaseong FC in the K3 League. His career began with his selection in the 2008 K League Draft, leading to his debut with Incheon United. A significant event in his career was his involvement in the 2011 K League match-fixing scandal, which resulted in a ban, though he later made a comeback to professional football and has since played for several clubs, including Gangwon FC and Seoul E-Land FC, where he served as captain.

2. Personal Information

2.1. Birth and Name Change

Ahn Ji-ho was born on April 24, 1987. He was originally known by his birth name, 안현식_{An Hyeon-sik}^Korean. In 2017, he legally changed his name to his current name, Ahn Ji-ho.

3. Education

Ahn Ji-ho attended several educational institutions during his formative years. He studied at Yonsei University, a prominent university in South Korea. Prior to university, he completed his high school education at Boin High School (also known as Boin Information Industry High School) and attended Daeshin Middle School.

4. Player Career

Ahn Ji-ho's professional football career spans over a decade, marked by his initial entry into the K League, a significant disciplinary setback, and a resilient comeback that saw him re-establish himself in South Korean football.

4.1. Early Career and Debut

Ahn Ji-ho began his professional journey when he was selected as the first pick by Daejeon Citizen in the 2008 K League Draft, which took place in November 2007. However, before the 2008 season officially commenced, he was involved in a trade, moving to Incheon United in exchange for Lee Dong-won. In his debut season in 2008, Ahn Ji-ho quickly established himself as a reliable defender for Incheon United, playing in 14 league matches and forming a strong defensive partnership with teammate An Jae-jun. He continued to play for Incheon United through the 2010 season.

4.2. Match-fixing Scandal and Punishment

In 2011, Ahn Ji-ho became embroiled in the 2011 K League match-fixing scandal, a major controversy that severely impacted the integrity of South Korean football. His involvement stemmed from receiving 2.00 M KRW as hush money during a discussion about match-fixing among senior and junior players. As a consequence of his participation, he received a severe disciplinary action from the K League, which included a permanent ban from all K League player activities and the loss of all related qualifications. Following the scandal, Gyeongnam FC, his club at the time, released him. Although he received a permanent ban, his self-reporting of the incident was taken into consideration, leading to a provision for a review of his return after a two-year probationary period. This incident highlighted the critical importance of ethical conduct and fair play in professional sports.

4.3. Comeback and Re-establishment

Ahn Ji-ho's ban was subsequently reduced by the K League Federation, allowing him to return to professional football six months earlier than initially stipulated. In 2014, he signed with Goyang Hi FC. His return, however, was met with controversy, as Goyang's supporters, known as Altair, issued a statement and initiated a petition to protest his signing, reflecting public concern over the match-fixing scandal. In 2015, an attempted transfer to Daejeon Citizen was ultimately canceled due to significant opposition from Daejeon fans. Despite these challenges, Ahn Ji-ho continued his efforts to re-establish his career. In 2016, he joined Gangwon FC as a free agent. On May 27, he scored his first goal for Gangwon FC in a match against Goyang Zaicro FC, which proved to be the winning goal. His performance earned him a spot in the K League Challenge Round 12 Best XI. He remained with Gangwon FC until 2017.

4.4. Later Career and Captaincy

Before the K League 2 2018 season, Ahn Ji-ho transferred to Seoul E-Land FC. During an away match against Daejeon Citizen in the third round, he received a direct red card in the 8th minute of the second half. The incident occurred during a set-piece attack when he struck Daejeon defender Jo Tae-geun in the chest. Although the referee initially missed the foul, a VAR review led to his dismissal. Despite this setback, he scored his first goal for Seoul E-Land on May 19 in a K League 2 Round 12 away game against Bucheon FC 1995, heading in a corner kick from Choi Oh-baek in the 80th minute. On October 7, in a 31st-round away match against Seongnam FC, Ahn Ji-ho recorded his first assist for Seoul E-Land, heading a corner kick towards the goal, which Cho Chan-ho converted into a score. His contributions were recognized when he was appointed captain of Seoul E-Land FC before the K League 2 2019 season. Following his tenure at Seoul E-Land, he moved to Gangneung City FC in the K3 League for the 2020 season. He later played for Gyeongju Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power FC from 2021 and currently plays for Hwaseong FC.

4.5. International Career

Ahn Ji-ho represented South Korea at the youth international level. He was a member of the South Korea national squad for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, held in Canada. Although he was included in the team roster for the tournament, he did not make any appearances in the matches played by the South Korean team during the competition.

5. Statistics

5.1. Club Career Statistics

The following table provides a detailed statistical breakdown of Ahn Ji-ho's club career performance.

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
South Korea			League		KFA Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
2007	Daejeon Citizen	K League	0	0	0	0	0	0	-		0	0
2008	Incheon United		14	0	1	0	7	0	-		22	0
2009			2	0	0	0	0	0	-		2	0
2010			11	0	1	0	1	0	-		13	0
2011	Gyeongnam FC		10	0	0	0	4	1	-		14	1
Career total			37	0	2	0	12	1	-		51	1