1. Overview
Lee Yong (이용I YongKorean; 李鎔Lee YongKorean), born on December 24, 1986, is a South Korean professional footballer who primarily plays as a right-back, though he can also play as a left-back. He has built a distinguished career playing for prominent K League clubs such as Ulsan Hyundai, Sangju Sangmu, and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, and currently plays for Suwon FC. Lee Yong is also a veteran of the South Korea national football team, having represented his country in multiple major tournaments, including the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. His career is marked by significant team successes, including multiple K League 1 titles, an AFC Champions League title, and individual accolades such as K League Best XI selections.
2. Early Life and Career
Lee Yong's formative years in football began with his academic pursuits, leading him through university-level competition before his professional debut.
2.1. Birth and Education
Lee Yong was born on December 24, 1986, in Seoul, South Korea. He attended Chung-Ang University, where he played collegiate football, developing his skills before embarking on his professional career.
3. Club Career
Lee Yong's professional club career began in 2010 and has seen him play for several major K League teams, accumulating numerous titles and establishing himself as a key defender.
3.1. Ulsan Hyundai FC
Lee Yong joined Ulsan Hyundai for the 2010 season. He made his professional debut when then-regular right-back Oh Beom-seok was away on national team duty, playing in 19 league matches by the end of the season. In the 2011 season, following Oh Beom-seok's transfer to Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Lee Yong initially competed with newly signed player Song Jong-gook for the starting position. However, after Song Jong-gook's mid-season transfer to Tianjin Teda, Lee Yong secured his place as a permanent starter. He became a vital player for Ulsan, contributing to their 2011 K League Cup victory and their runner-up finish in the 2011 K League. He also played a crucial role in Ulsan's triumph in the 2012 AFC Champions League and their second-place finish in the 2013 K League Classic. At the end of the 2013 season, he was selected for the K League Classic Best XI as a defender.
During the 2014 season, Lee Yong suffered a significant facial injury during an away match against Seongnam FC on October 26. He sustained a torn area around his eye and a fractured nose after colliding with Kim Dong-hee in a heading challenge in the 13th minute of the second half. Despite initial concerns that the injury would end his season, he remarkably recovered and started in an away match against FC Seoul on November 16, demonstrating his resilience.
3.2. Sangju Sangmu (Military Service)
After the 2014 season, Lee Yong, along with teammate Kim Sung-hwan, enlisted in Sangju Sangmu to fulfill their mandatory military service. During his time with Sangju Sangmu, he played a pivotal role in the team's promotion to the K League Classic in the 2015 season, for which he was selected for the K League Challenge Best XI in the defender category. Ahead of the 2016 season, Lee Yong was appointed as the new captain of Sangju Sangmu. He completed his military service on September 14, 2016, and returned to his original club, Ulsan Hyundai.
3.3. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Following the conclusion of the 2016 season, Lee Yong was part of a trade deal that saw him move to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, alongside teammate Lee Jae-seong. His tenure at Jeonbuk was highly successful, as he became an integral part of a dominant team. He contributed to Jeonbuk's impressive run of five consecutive K League 1 titles, winning in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. He also helped the team secure the Korean FA Cup in 2020.
3.4. Suwon FC
In the summer transfer window of the 2022 season, Lee Yong moved to Suwon FC on loan. After the loan spell, he made a permanent transfer to Suwon FC during the 2023 season.
4. International Career
Lee Yong has been a consistent presence in the South Korea national football team, participating in multiple major international tournaments.
4.1. South Korea National Team
Lee Yong made his international debut for the South Korea national team on July 24, 2013, in a match against the China national team during the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup.
He was selected for South Korea's final squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on May 8, 2014, marking his first appearance at a World Cup. He played all three group stage matches against Russia, Algeria, and Belgium for the full 90 minutes.
Lee Yong was again included in the final squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played every minute of all three group stage matches against Sweden, Mexico, and Germany, extending his record to six consecutive full-time appearances in World Cup group stage matches. As of June 10, 2022, he has accumulated 57 international caps for South Korea.
5. Position and Playing Style
Lee Yong primarily plays as a right-back, a position he has consistently held throughout his career at both club and international levels. He is also capable of playing as a left-back, showcasing his versatility across the defensive flanks. His playing style is characterized by his strong defensive contributions, including effective tackling, positional awareness, and aerial ability. Furthermore, he is known for his offensive contributions, often making overlapping runs down the wing to deliver crosses and support attacks. His experience and consistency have made him a reliable and durable presence on the field, standing at 71 in (180 cm) tall.
6. Honours
Lee Yong has achieved significant success both with his clubs and through individual recognitions throughout his career.
6.1. Club Honours
Ulsan Hyundai
- Korean League Cup: 2011
- AFC Champions League: 2012
Sangju Sangmu
- K League 2: 2015
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
- K League 1: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
- Korean FA Cup: 2020
6.2. Individual Honours
- K League 1 Best XI: 2013, 2018, 2019
- K League 2 Best XI: 2015
- Dong-A Sports Awards Professional Football Player of the Year: 2018
- 2019 AFC Asian Cup Man of the Match: vs. Bahrain (Round of 16)
7. Statistics
As of June 6, 2023
7.1. Club
| 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 | Continental | Total | |||||||
| 2010 | Ulsan Hyundai | K League 1 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 27 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | 32 | 0 | |||
| 2012 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 10 | 1 | 34 | 1 | |||
| 2013 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 39 | 1 | ||||
| 2014 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | 37 | 0 | |||
| 2015 | Sangju Sangmu (army) | K League 2 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 0 | ||
| 2016 | K League 1 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 2 | |||
| Ulsan Hyundai | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2017 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 9 | 0 | 42 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |||
| 2021 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |||
| Suwon FC (loan) | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2023 | Suwon FC | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 1 | |||
| Total | South Korea | 328 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 392 | 5 | |
| Career total | 328 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 392 | 5 | ||
7.2. International
As of June 10, 2022
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 2013 | 7 | 0 |
| 2014 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 57 | 0 |
8. Personal Life and Incidents
Beyond his football career, Lee Yong has been involved in notable personal events and media appearances.
8.1. Pickpocket Apprehension and Good Deed
On April 3, 2016, while on an outing in Mungyeong, Gyeongbuk, Lee Yong and several of his teammates from Sangju Sangmu FC - corporals Kim Sung-hwan and Park Jin-po, along with privates Kim Sung-ju, Kim Sung-jun, Lee Gyeong-ryeol, and Cho Young-cheol - successfully apprehended a pickpocket. For their swift and courageous action, they received a letter of appreciation from the Korean police on April 9, 2016.
8.2. YouTube Video Controversy
On February 21, 2020, Lee Yong faced public controversy after posting a video on his YouTube channel showing him speeding on the Olympic-daero highway. The video quickly drew criticism, prompting Lee Yong to set the video to private and issue a public apology for his actions.
8.3. Media Appearances
Lee Yong has made several appearances on television shows. Notably, he appeared on Episode 573 of MBC's popular talk show, Radio Star, on July 11, 2018, where he shared anecdotes from his career and personal life.
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9. External Links
- [http://www.kfa.or.kr/archive/player_history.php?search_val=%EC%9D%B4%EC%9A%A9 Lee Yong - National Team Stats at KFA]
- [https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=255761 Lee Yong at Soccerbase.com]
- [https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/53230/Yong_Lee.html Lee Yong at National-Football-Teams.com]
- [https://www.instagram.com/leeyong2/ Lee Yong on Instagram]