1. Early Life and Education
Kiatisuk Senamuang was born on 11 August 1973, in Kumphawapi District, Udon Thani Province, Thailand, as the youngest of three children to Suriya and Rism Senamuang. Around 1982, his family relocated to Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province, where he is now considered a full resident. He began his education at Ban Nong Daeng School, completing up to Primary Year 3, before transferring to Nam Phong Suksa School for Primary Year 4 and continuing through to Secondary Year 6.
He later moved to Bangkok to pursue higher education, earning an Associate Degree in Accounting from Bangkok Commercial School. He then obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Dhurakij Pundit University and a Master of Business Administration in Sports Management from the Graduate School of Chandrakasem Rajabhat University. Before his professional football career, Kiatisuk also worked as a police officer, although his passion for football ultimately led him to a full-time career in the sport.
2. Playing Career
Kiatisuk Senamuang enjoyed a distinguished 18-year career as a professional footballer, primarily as a striker, playing for clubs across Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, England, and Vietnam. This section details his achievements and contributions during his time as a player at both club and international levels. He is widely regarded as one of Southeast Asia's most exceptional players in history.
2.1. Club Career
Kiatisuk began his professional career in 1991 with Krung Thai Bank, where he played for four years, scoring 121 goals in 145 appearances and contributing to two Kor Royal Cup victories. In 1995, he moved to Rajpracha Sports Club, netting 32 goals in 27 matches. During his time at Rajpracha in 1996, he achieved an unofficial record of 127 goals in 71 matches in a single season. From 1997 to 1998, he played for Police United, scoring 27 goals in 25 appearances.
In 1998, Kiatisuk joined Perlis FA in Malaysia, where he scored 22 goals in 21 games. His career then took him to England in 1999, where he signed with Huddersfield Town. However, his spell there was brief and uneventful, as he did not feature in any first-team matches, with then-manager Steve Bruce reportedly considering the signing a "publicity stunt." After one season, he returned to Thailand, rejoining Rajpracha Sports Club, where he added 29 goals in 26 games.
In 2001, Kiatisuk moved to Singapore Armed Forces FC (SAFFC) in the S.League, scoring 18 goals in 20 matches and helping the team win the 2002 league title. In March 2002, he made a significant move to Vietnam, joining Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL), then in the second division. He played a pivotal role in their promotion to V.League 1 and subsequently led them to back-to-back V.League 1 titles in 2003 and 2004, along with two Vietnamese Super Cup victories in the same years. He scored 102 goals in 75 appearances for HAGL. He retired from club football at the end of the 2006 season, after 15 years as a professional player.
2.2. International Career
Kiatisuk Senamuang is a legend of the Thailand national football team, holding the national records for both most international caps and goals. He earned 134 caps and scored 71 goals for Thailand between 1992 and 2007.
He first joined the Thailand U-20 national team from 1990 to 1992, scoring 5 goals in 11 matches. His senior national team debut came in 1993 during the 24th King's Cup and the Merlion Cup in Singapore. He scored his first goal for the Thailand B team on 9 September 1993, in a 1-0 victory over Poland. His 100th goal for the national team (85th against a national team) was scored on 26 December 2006, in a 2-0 King's Cup win against Singapore. His final appearance for the senior national team was in a friendly match against the UAE on 3 October 2007, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Kiatisuk was a key member of the Thai national team that won four consecutive gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games (1993, 1995, 1997, 1999). He also led Thailand to three AFF Championship titles (1996, 2000, 2002) and was a runner-up in 2007. He won the King's Cup three times (1994, 2000, 2006) and the Indonesian Independence Cup in 1994. He also helped Thailand achieve fourth-place finishes at the Asian Games in both 1998 and 2002. Notably, in the 1998 Asian Games quarter-finals, he scored the opening goal in a historic 2-1 upset victory over South Korea, a team that had qualified for the FIFA World Cup five times.
He was recognized for his outstanding performances, receiving the AFF Championship Most Valuable Player award in 2000 and being named to the AFC Asian All Stars in the same year. Kiatisuk was also known for his signature somersault celebration after scoring a goal, earning him the nickname "The Somersault King" from the media.
3. Managerial Career
Following his illustrious playing career, Kiatisuk Senamuang transitioned into football management, leading various clubs and national teams with considerable success. This section details his coaching roles and achievements.
3.1. Club Management
Kiatisuk began his managerial career as a player-manager for Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) in 2006. After retiring from playing in late 2007, he took charge of Chula United (then Chula Sinthana) in 2008, guiding them to an 8th-place finish in the Thai Premier League.
In December 2008, he moved to Chonburi F.C., leading them to win the 2009 Kor Royal Cup and finish second in the league with the club's highest-ever points tally. However, he resigned after failing to secure the domestic league title. In 2010, Kiatisuk returned to HAGL, finishing seventh in the V.League and reaching the 2010 Vietnamese Cup final, where they lost 0-1 to Sông Lam Nghệ An.
He returned to Thailand in December 2010 to manage Chula United in the 2011 Thai Division 1 League, securing a third-place finish and promotion to the 2012 Thai Premier League. However, he resigned after just ten games in the top league due to poor results (1 win, 4 draws, 5 losses). A month later, he joined Bangkok F.C. in the 2012 Thai Division 1 League, successfully helping them avoid relegation by finishing tenth.
In 2017, after his national team tenure, Kiatisuk briefly managed Port F.C. in 2017 Thai League T1 but resigned after three months due to a string of unfavorable results.
On 20 November 2020, Kiatisuk made a highly anticipated return to his former Vietnamese club, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, signing a two-year contract. His first match was a 1-0 defeat to Saigon on 17 January 2021, but he secured his first win with a 2-1 home victory against Sông Lam Nghệ An on 22 January 2021. Under his leadership, HAGL was leading the 2021 V.League 1 table with 29 points from 12 games and had qualified for the 2022 AFC Champions League when the season was voided due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning no title was awarded. He left HAGL on 11 January 2024.
On 16 January 2024, Kiatisuk was appointed head coach of Cong An Hanoi FC in Vietnam. He led the team to initial victories against TP.HCM (2-0), SLNA (1-0), and Thanh Hóa (3-1). However, inconsistent results followed, including a 0-3 loss to Viettel and a 0-2 defeat to Quang Nam. He resigned from the position on 14 May 2024, after less than five months in charge.
3.2. National Team Management

In January 2013, Kiatisuk was appointed head coach of the Thailand national under-23 football team. He won his debut match 1-0 in a friendly against Ayutthaya FC on 12 January. In June 2013, he was also named caretaker manager of the senior national team, replacing Winfried Schäfer. His debut with the "War Elephants" was a historic 5-1 friendly victory against China on 15 June 2013.
As U-23 coach, Kiatisuk guided the team to a gold medal at the 2013 SEA Games, adding to the four golds he won as a player. He also led the Thailand U-23 team to the semi-finals of the 2014 Asian Games, finishing in 4th place.
In 2014, following his success at the Asian Games, Kiatisuk was appointed permanent head coach of the senior Thailand national team. Using many young players from his U-23 squad, he led Thailand to victory in the 2014 AFF Championship with a 4-3 aggregate score against Malaysia in the final. This made him the only person to win the AFF Championship as both a player and a manager.
In 2015, under his management, Thailand topped their group in the second round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification with 14 points from six games, advancing to the final round. In 2016, Kiatisuk successfully defended the 2016 AFF Championship title, winning all games en route to the final. After a 1-2 loss to Indonesia in the first leg, Thailand secured the trophy with a 2-0 win in the second leg, lifting their fifth regional title. Kiatisuk became the third manager to successfully defend the AFF Championship.
He continued to coach Thailand in the final round of World Cup qualification but managed to collect only one point from seven games. Following a 0-4 loss to Japan on 28 March 2017, Kiatisuk stepped down from his position as national team manager after four years in charge, on 31 March 2017.
4. Honours
Kiatisuk Senamuang has achieved numerous honours throughout his career as both a player and a manager, reflecting his significant contributions to football. This section outlines his major titles and individual accolades.
4.1. Player Honours
Thailand
- AFF Championship: 1996, 2000, 2002
- SEA Games gold medal: 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999
- King's Cup: 1994, 2000, 2006
- Indonesian Independence Cup: 1994
- Asian Games fourth place: 1998, 2002
Krung Thai Bank
- Kor Royal Cup: 1989, 1993
Singapore Armed Forces
- S.League: 2002
Hoang Anh Gia Lai
- V.League 1: 2003, 2004
- Vietnamese Super Cup: 2003, 2004
Individual
- AFF Championship Most Valuable Player: 2000
- V.League 1 Best Foreign Player of the Year: 2003, 2004
- AFC Asian All Stars: 2000
- Top Scorer, Football Education Zone of Thailand: 1987
- Top Scorer, SEA Games: 1999
- Role Model for Thai Society ("Model Person") by the Office of the National Primary Education Commission: 2000
- ESPN Best Athlete: 2000
- ESPN Best Footballer: 2000
- Asian Star Award: 2001
- Kom Chad Luek Awards Best Footballer: 2001
- Sanyo Outstanding Footballer: 2001
- Honour Pin for Contributions to Vietnamese Football from the Vietnamese Minister of Sports: 2005
4.2. Managerial Honours
Thailand
- AFF Championship: 2014, 2016
- King's Cup: 2016
Thailand U-23
- SEA Games gold medal: 2013
- Asian Games fourth place: 2014
Chonburi
- Kor Royal Cup: 2009
Hoang Anh Gia Lai
- Vietnamese National Cup runner-up: 2010
- Quang Trung Emperor's Cup: 2022
Individual
- ASEAN Football Federation Coach of the Year: 2015, 2017
- V.League 1 Manager of the Month: January 2021, March 2021, April 2021, July 2022
- Siam Sport Awards Best Coach: 2014
- National Sports Day Outstanding Amateur Athlete Coach: 2014, 2015
- Siam Golden Awards Best Coach: 2014
- Honorary Master of Education in Physical Education from Ramkhamhaeng University: 2015
- Nation Multimedia Group Person of the Year: 2015
- MThai Top Talk-About 2015 (Most Talked About Male Personality): 2015
- Fever Awards 2016 (Fever Athlete of the Year): 2016
5. Personal Life
Kiatisuk Senamuang is a Buddhist, like most Thais. He was born in Udon Thani and later moved with his parents to Khon Kaen Province. His parents are Suriya and Rism Senamuang. Before becoming a professional footballer, he served as a police officer, a career he left due to his deep love for football.
He was given the nickname "Zico" by his friends, in honor of his favorite Brazilian football idol, Zico, due to his own given nickname "Ko". Kiatisuk is known for his ability to speak Vietnamese fluently, having learned it within a few years during his playing and coaching career in Vietnam.
Kiatisuk is married to Assarapa Wutthiwet, whom he wed in 2002. They have three daughters, nicknamed Perth, Proud, and Pearl.
Beyond football, Kiatisuk has been involved in various community and business initiatives. In 2000, he launched the "Zico Tips on Tour" project, providing football training to youth across Thailand and producing a related television show. In 2001, he authored the book Million Encouragements for Someone. In 2003, he co-founded "Sport Hero Co. Ltd." with his wife, a company focused on organizing sports competitions and producing sports media. Since 2004, he has annually organized the "Sponsor Zico Youth Tournament," an under-18 football competition aimed at discovering talented young players. He also wrote Senamuang: The Somersault Life (Thai edition) and KIATISUK (Vietnamese edition) in 2006. In 2021, Kiatisuk auctioned his signed jersey, raising 210.00 M VND for COVID-19 vaccine funds in Vietnam and Thailand.
6. Influence and Legacy
Kiatisuk Senamuang is widely considered one of the most influential figures in Thai football history. His dual success as both a celebrated player and a highly decorated manager has cemented his status as a national icon. His signature somersault celebration after scoring goals became a memorable part of his playing identity.
He was the first Thai footballer, alongside others, to appear in a video game, featuring in World Soccer Jikkyou Winning Eleven 2000: U-23 Medal Heno Chousen as a player for the Thailand U-23 team, where his name was rendered as "Senamuran" (セナムランJapanese).
Kiatisuk's vision extended beyond his playing and coaching roles. In 2006, after his first stint with Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, he played a crucial role in inspiring the establishment of the Hoàng Anh Gia Lai - JMG Football Academy. He drove club chairman Đoàn Nguyên Đức to visit the Muangthong United club and the Arsenal JMG training model in Bangkok, advocating for investment in youth development. This initiative led to the creation of the academy, which has significantly contributed to Vietnamese football.
While generally maintaining a positive relationship with Vietnamese football, Kiatisuk's comments in 2018, suggesting that it would take Vietnam another 10 years to catch up to Thailand, sparked controversy. However, after witnessing Vietnam's remarkable success later that year, he retracted his statement, acknowledging that the two footballing nations were "on par." In 2021, he further clarified that his original comment was meant as a motivational message to his players, encouraging them to develop their careers over a decade, rather than a direct comparison between the two national teams, emphasizing his love for Vietnam's passionate football culture.
7. Career Statistics
This section provides detailed statistical data on Kiatisuk Senamuang's performance as both an international player and a club/national team manager.
7.1. International Goals
# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 11 April 1993 | Kobe, Japan | Sri Lanka | 1-0 | Win | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
2. | 5 May 1993 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Bangladesh | 4-1 | Win | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
3. | 7 June 1993 | Singapore | Myanmar | 2-0 | Win | 1993 Southeast Asian Games |
4. | 13 June 1993 | Singapore | Laos | 4-1 | Win | 1993 Southeast Asian Games |
5. | 20 June 1993 | Singapore | Myanmar | 4-3 | Win | 1993 Southeast Asian Games |
6. | 9 October 1994 | Hiroshima, Japan | Malaysia | 1-1 | Draw | 1994 Asian Games |
7. | 12 December 1995 | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Cambodia | 9-0 | Win | 1995 Southeast Asian Games |
8. | 12 December 1995 | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Cambodia | 9-0 | Win | 1995 Southeast Asian Games |
9. | 16 February 1996 | Bangkok, Thailand | Finland | 5-2 | Win | 1996 King's Cup |
10. | 27 June 1996 | Bangkok, Thailand | Maldives | 8-0 | Win | 1996 Asian Cup qualification |
11. | 27 June 1996 | Bangkok, Thailand | Maldives | 8-0 | Win | 1996 Asian Cup qualification |
12. | 29 June 1996 | Bangkok, Thailand | Myanmar | 5-1 | Win | 1996 Asian Cup qualification |
13. | 7 July 1996 | Singapore | Myanmar | 7-1 | Win | 1996 Asian Cup qualification |
14. | 7 July 1996 | Singapore | Myanmar | 7-1 | Win | 1996 Asian Cup qualification |
15. | 9 July 1996 | Singapore | Singapore | 2-2 | Draw | 1996 Asian Cup qualification |
16. | 2 September 1996 | Singapore | Philippines | 5-0 | Win | 1996 AFF Championship |
17. | 6 September 1996 | Singapore | Brunei | 6-0 | Win | 1996 AFF Championship |
18. | 13 September 1996 | Singapore | Vietnam | 4-2 | Win | 1996 AFF Championship |
19. | 15 September 1996 | Singapore | Malaysia | 1-0 | Win | 1996 AFF Championship |
20. | 8 December 1996 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Iran | 1-3 | Loss | 1996 AFC Asian Cup |
21. | 15 March 1997 | Bangkok, Thailand | Japan | 3-1 | Win | Friendly |
22. | 15 March 1997 | Bangkok, Thailand | Japan | 3-1 | Win | Friendly |
23. | 7 October 1997 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Brunei | 6-0 | Win | 1997 Southeast Asian Games |
24. | 7 October 1997 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Brunei | 6-0 | Win | 1997 Southeast Asian Games |
25. | 12 October 1997 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Cambodia | 4-0 | Win | 1997 Southeast Asian Games |
26. | 16 October 1997 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Vietnam | 2-1 | Win | 1997 Southeast Asian Games |
27. | 16 October 1997 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Vietnam | 2-1 | Win | 1997 Southeast Asian Games |
28. | 22 March 1998 | Bangkok, Thailand | Kazakhstan | 1-0 | Win | Friendly |
29. | 21 October 1998 | Bangkok, Thailand | Turkmenistan | 3-3 | Draw | Friendly |
30. | 2 December 1998 | Bangkok, Thailand | Hong Kong | 5-0 | Win | 1998 Asian Games |
31. | 2 December 1998 | Bangkok, Thailand | Hong Kong | 5-0 | Win | 1998 Asian Games |
32. | 14 December 1998 | Bangkok, Thailand | South Korea | 2-1 | Win | 1998 Asian Games |
33. | 16 June 1999 | Bangkok, Thailand | New Zealand | 2-2 | Draw | Friendly Tournament |
34. | 16 June 1999 | Bangkok, Thailand | New Zealand | 2-2 | Draw | Friendly Tournament |
35. | 30 July 1999 | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | Philippines | 9-0 | Win | 1999 Southeast Asian Games |
36. | 30 July 1999 | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | Philippines | 9-0 | Win | 1999 Southeast Asian Games |
37. | 30 July 1999 | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | Philippines | 9-0 | Win | 1999 Southeast Asian Games |
38. | 30 July 1999 | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | Philippines | 9-0 | Win | 1999 Southeast Asian Games |
39. | 1 August 1999 | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | Laos | 4-1 | Win | 1999 Southeast Asian Games |
40. | 8 August 1999 | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | Myanmar | 7-0 | Win | 1999 Southeast Asian Games |
41. | 8 August 1999 | Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | Myanmar | 7-0 | Win | 1999 Southeast Asian Games |
42. | 6 November 2000 | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Myanmar | 3-1 | Win | 2000 AFF Championship |
43. | 10 November 2000 | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Indonesia | 4-1 | Win | 2000 AFF Championship |
44. | 12 November 2000 | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Philippines | 2-0 | Win | 2000 AFF Championship |
45. | 16 November 2000 | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Malaysia | 2-0 | Win | 2000 AFF Championship |
46. | 23 January 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Kuwait | 5-4 | Win | Friendly |
47. | 23 January 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Kuwait | 5-4 | Win | Friendly |
48. | 23 January 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Kuwait | 5-4 | Win | Friendly |
49. | 17 February 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Qatar | 2-0 | Win | 2001 King's Cup |
50. | 17 February 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Qatar | 2-0 | Win | 2001 King's Cup |
51. | 13 May 2001 | Beirut, Lebanon | Sri Lanka | 4-2 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
52. | 13 May 2001 | Beirut, Lebanon | Sri Lanka | 4-2 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
53. | 17 May 2001 | Beirut, Lebanon | Lebanon | 2-1 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
54. | 26 May 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Sri Lanka | 3-0 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
55. | 26 May 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Sri Lanka | 3-0 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
56. | 28 May 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Pakistan | 6-0 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
57. | 28 May 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Pakistan | 6-0 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
58. | 28 May 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Pakistan | 6-0 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
59. | 28 May 2001 | Bangkok, Thailand | Pakistan | 6-0 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
60. | 13 August 2001 | Singapore | Singapore | 5-0 | Win | Friendly |
61. | 13 August 2001 | Singapore | Singapore | 5-0 | Win | Friendly |
62. | 6 September 2001 | Manama, Bahrain | Bahrain | 1-1 | Draw | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
63. | 18 December 2002 | Singapore | Laos | 5-1 | Win | 2002 AFF Championship |
64. | 18 December 2002 | Singapore | Laos | 5-1 | Win | 2002 AFF Championship |
65. | 18 December 2002 | Singapore | Laos | 5-1 | Win | 2002 AFF Championship |
66. | 31 March 2004 | Sana'a, Yemen | Yemen | 3-0 | Win | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
67. | 9 June 2004 | Bangkok, Thailand | North Korea | 1-4 | Loss | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
68. | 26 December 2006 | Bangkok, Thailand | Singapore | 2-0 | Win | 2006 King's Cup |
69. | 26 December 2006 | Bangkok, Thailand | Singapore | 2-0 | Win | 2006 King's Cup |
70. | 26 December 2006 | Bangkok, Thailand | Singapore | 2-0 | Win | 2006 King's Cup |
71. | 26 December 2006 | Bangkok, Thailand | Singapore | 2-0 | Win | 2006 King's Cup |
7.2. Managerial Statistics

As of 14 May 2024
Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Games managed | Games won | Games drawn | Games lost | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference | Winning percentage | ||||
Hoàng Anh Gia Lai | Vietnam | 1 January 2006 | 30 June 2006 | 25 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 40.00 |
Chula Sinthana | Thailand | 1 January 2008 | 30 November 2008 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 38.89 |
Chonburi | Thailand | 1 January 2009 | 30 November 2009 | 46 | 28 | 11 | 7 | 87 | 42 | +45 | 60.87 |
Hoàng Anh Gia Lai | Vietnam | 1 January 2010 | 30 November 2010 | 31 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 39 | 32 | +7 | 38.71 |
Chula United | Thailand | 9 December 2010 | 21 May 2012 | 49 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 54 | 44 | +10 | 42.86 |
Bangkok | Thailand | 20 June 2012 | 31 December 2012 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 31 | 33 | ||
33.33 | |||||||||||
Thailand U23 | Thailand | 12 January 2013 | 22 December 2016 | 40 | 28 | 7 | 5 | 83 | 28 | +55 | 70.00 |
Thailand (Caretaker) | Thailand | 1 May 2013 | 30 June 2013 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 100.00 |
Thailand | Thailand | 10 February 2014 | 31 March 2017 | 42 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 66 | 53 | +13 | 50.00 |
Port | Thailand | 23 June 2017 | 20 September 2017 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 19 | ||
10.00 | |||||||||||
Hoàng Anh Gia Lai | Vietnam | 20 November 2020 | 11 January 2024 | 74 | 24 | 28 | 22 | 82 | 79 | +3 | 32.43 |
Công An Hà Nội | Vietnam | 16 January 2024 | 14 May 2024 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 12 | +4 | 54.55 |
Career Total | 368 | 166 | 98 | 104 | 536 | 389 | +147 | 45.11 |