Ahn Joon-soo

1.1. Beginning of Football and Development

Ahn Joon-soo began playing football at the age of seven. His journey was significantly influenced by Min Jae-hong, a family acquaintance and the coach of Chung-ui Middle School's football team. Min Jae-hong recognized Ahn's concentration in defense and his fearless attitude toward the ball, leading him to encourage Ahn to specialize as a goalkeeper. During his elementary school years, Ahn received an offer from Pohang Steel Middle School's football team, but he declined and chose to attend Chung-ui Middle School instead. This school, which had a partnership with FC Uijeongbu, provided a conducive environment with a dedicated goalkeeper coach, allowing Ahn to not only refine his goalkeeping skills but also to develop his abilities as a field player.

1.2. Youth Club Activities

After graduating from elementary school, Ahn Joon-soo continued his football development at Chung-ui Middle School, where he honed his skills under specialized coaching. In 2013, he was selected for the U-15 South Korea national team alongside his cousin, who was also a teammate from Chung-ui Middle School. This selection led to a humorous anecdote where his father became flustered, concerned that his son's national team inclusion might appear improper. During the summer vacation of his third year in middle school, Ahn traveled to Japan for a short-term study program at Cerezo Osaka, a club he would later join professionally.

Upon graduation, Ahn joined the FC Uijeongbu U-18 team. Unlike other high school football clubs that often granted exemptions from regular classes, FC Uijeongbu's U-18 team required its players to complete the standard high school curriculum before engaging in after-school football activities. Despite this demanding schedule, Ahn continued to be called up to the national youth teams. His development further accelerated under the guidance of Cha Sang-kwang, the goalkeeper coach for the U-17 national team. Ahn participated in the 2014 AFC U-16 Championship and the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup. In the U-17 World Cup, he wore the number one jersey and appeared in three matches, though the team was eliminated in the Round of 16 after a 0-2 loss to Belgium.

2.1. Cerezo Osaka

Ahn Joon-soo embarked on his professional career by joining Cerezo Osaka in July 2016 during the summer transfer window. Despite making his professional entry at the young age of 18, he primarily played for the Cerezo Osaka U-23 team due to his age and limited experience, which was common for young players in the J.League system. On September 10, 2016, Ahn made his debut in the J3 League with Cerezo Osaka U-23 in a match against Tochigi SC. He continued to be active with the U-23 team throughout his tenure, though he did not make any appearances for the main Cerezo Osaka first team in the J1 League or J2 League during this period. He remained with Cerezo Osaka until 2020.

2.2. Kagoshima United FC (loan)

Following the 2017 season, Ahn Joon-soo moved to Kagoshima United FC in the J3 League on a loan deal for the 2018 season. He quickly established himself as the team's starting goalkeeper and played a pivotal role in Kagoshima's success. In the 2018 J3 League season, he made 29 appearances and contributed to the team's second-place finish, which secured their promotion to the J2 League for the 2019 season. His loan spell was extended for the 2019 season, where he continued to be the main goalkeeper, appearing in 36 matches in the J2 League. However, Kagoshima United finished 21st, leading to their relegation back to the J3 League after just one season. Ahn returned to Cerezo Osaka at the end of the 2019 season.

2.3. Busan IPark

After spending the 2020 season as a backup goalkeeper for Kim Jin-hyun in the Cerezo Osaka first team, Ahn Joon-soo decided to return to South Korea. In 2021, he officially transferred to Busan IPark in the K League 2, marking his return to his home country after five years. In his first season with Busan IPark in 2021, he played in 16 official matches, conceding 24 goals and recording 2 clean sheets. He continued to serve as the main goalkeeper for Busan IPark in the 2022 season, delivering strong performances.

2.4. Jeonnam Dragons

Ahn Joon-soo remained the starting goalkeeper for Busan IPark during the 2023 season. However, on June 23, 2023, he was involved in a trade with midfielder Jeon Seung-min, which saw him move from Busan IPark to Jeonnam Dragons. During his time with Jeonnam, he made 18 appearances.

2.5. Suwon FC

Ahn Joon-soo joined Suwon FC in 2024. As of early 2024, he has made 9 appearances for the club in the K League 1.

3.1. Age-Group National Teams (U-17, U-20)

Ahn Joon-soo was a key member of the South Korea U-17 national team. He participated in the 2014 AFC U-16 Championship, where he contributed to the team's runner-up finish and their qualification for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, marking South Korea's return to the U-17 World Cup after six years. In the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he played in three matches, though the team was ultimately defeated 0-2 by Belgium in the Round of 16, failing to advance to the quarterfinals.

Later, as a member of the South Korea U-20 national team, Ahn was included in the final squad for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which was hosted in South Korea. Despite his inclusion, the team suffered a 1-3 defeat to Portugal in the Round of 16, missing out on a quarter-final berth for the first time in four years.

3.2. U-23 National Team and Olympic Participation

Ahn Joon-soo's involvement with the South Korea U-23 national team began with the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification in March 2019. He was selected as a starter in two matches of the Group H qualifiers held at the Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium: the second match against host nation Cambodia and the final match against Australia.

The following year, Ahn was named to the main squad for the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship held in Thailand. Although he did not make any appearances in the tournament as Song Bum-keun played every minute from the group stage match against China to the final against Saudi Arabia, Ahn was part of the team that secured South Korea's first-ever U-23 Asian Cup title and their ninth consecutive qualification for the Olympic football tournament. This achievement helped alleviate some of the disappointment from his lack of playing time.

In late June 2021, Ahn was included in the 18-player final squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021 due to the global pandemic). In a friendly match against 2008 Summer Olympics champions Argentina in July 2021, he started and contributed to a 2-2 draw. A month later, he participated in the 2020 Summer Olympics as a backup goalkeeper. However, the team suffered a decisive 3-6 defeat to 2012 Summer Olympics champions Mexico in the quarterfinals, ending their hopes of reaching the Olympic semifinals for the first time in nine years.

6.1. Club Honours

• J.League Cup: 2017 (with Cerezo Osaka)
• Emperor's Cup: 2017 (with Cerezo Osaka)
• Super Cup: 2018 (with Cerezo Osaka)
• J3 League: Runner-up 2018 (with Kagoshima United FC)

6.2. International Honours

• AFC U-17 Championship: Runner-up 2014 (with South Korea U-17)
• AFC U-23 Championship: Winner 2020 (with South Korea U-23)

6.3. Individual Honours

• K League 2 Best XI: 2023