South KoreanFootballerK LeagueCoach

Cha Sang-hae

Cha Sang-Hae is a former South Korean footballer and coach, primarily a forward, known for being the K League top scorer in 1993 with Pohang Steelers.

1. Overview

Cha Sang-Hae (차상해Cha Sang-HaeKorean) is a former South Korean footballer and coach who primarily played as a forward. He is notably recognized for his successful period with Pohang Steelers, where he earned the distinction of being the top scorer in 1993. His professional career, spanning from 1989, involved playing for several prominent clubs in the K League, achieving both individual accolades and team championships.

2. Personal Background

Cha Sang-Hae was born on October 20, 1965. He is the brother of goalkeeper and coach Cha Sang-kwang.

3. Playing Career

Cha Sang-Hae's professional football career began in 1989 and saw him play for several major K League clubs, achieving individual and team successes before his retirement.

3.1. Debut and Early Career

Cha Sang-Hae began his professional career in 1989 with Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso, which is now known as FC Seoul. He quickly established himself in the K League, laying the groundwork for his future successes.

3.2. Pohang Steelers Era

Cha Sang-Hae's most successful period came with Pohang (formerly Pochaol Atoms), which was his third professional club. In 1992, he contributed to Pohang Steelers winning the K League title. His peak performance was in 1993, when he recorded 10 goals, making him the top scorer in the regular season and earning him a spot in the K League Best XI. However, his career faced a setback in 1994 during a pre-season training camp when he suffered a broken wrist bone. This injury led to him losing his starting position to prominent players like Hwang Sun-hong and Rade Bogdanović. Despite this, he demonstrated his scoring ability by netting two goals in a friendly match against Kashima Antlers on September 27, 1994.

3.3. Transfers and Career Developments

Following his time with Pohang, Cha Sang-Hae moved to several other clubs. In November 1994, he returned to Daewoo Royals (now Busan IPark) as part of a trade involving Ham Sang-heon and Noh Ju-seop. However, his playing time at Daewoo was limited due to competition from foreign players, notably Saša Drakulić. Consequently, in the latter half of 1995, he was traded to Yukong Elephants (now Jeju United FC) in exchange for Kim Sang-moon. His tenure at Yukong was also short-lived, as he again faced stiff competition, this time from Sergei Burdin, which led to his release after the first half of the 1996 season. He then transferred back to his original club, Anyang LG Cheetahs (the successor to Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso), but only managed to make three appearances before being released as a free agent in January 1997. Interestingly, Ham Sang-heon and Noh Ju-seop, who were part of the trade that brought Cha Sang-Hae to Daewoo, also later joined LG Cheetahs around the same period.

4. Coaching Career

After concluding his playing career, Cha Sang-Hae transitioned into football coaching. Specific details regarding his coaching roles and contributions are not extensively documented in available records.

5. Awards and Honors

Cha Sang-Hae earned several significant team and individual awards throughout his professional football career.

5.1. Team Awards

Cha Sang-Hae celebrated multiple team victories during his time with various K League clubs.

ClubCompetitionYear
Daewoo RoyalsK League1991
Pohang Steelers (Pochaol Atoms)K League1992
Pohang Steelers (Pochaol Atoms)Adidas Cup1993
Yukong ElephantsAdidas Cup1996

5.2. Individual Awards

Cha Sang-Hae received personal recognition for his outstanding performance during his playing career.

  • K League Top Scorer Award (1): 1993
  • K League Best XI (1): 1993

6. Impact and Legacy

Cha Sang-Hae's legacy in South Korean football is primarily defined by his notable achievements as a prolific forward, particularly his top scorer title and inclusion in the K League Best XI in 1993. Despite facing career challenges such as injuries and intense competition from foreign players at various clubs, his ability to secure a league title with Pohang Steelers and multiple cup victories with different teams underscores his significant contribution to the sport during his active years.