1. Overview
Song Dong-Jin (송동진Song Dong-JinKorean) is a former South Korean professional football player who primarily played as a goalkeeper. Born on May 12, 1984, he spent a significant part of his career with Pohang Steelers, where he began his youth career. He is particularly noted for his crucial performance in the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, where his penalty shootout saves secured a third-place finish for Pohang Steelers. He retired from professional football at the end of the 2012 season.
2. Early life and education
Song Dong-Jin's early life and educational background laid the foundation for his professional football career, which began in the youth system of Pohang Steelers.
2.1. Birth and youth
Song Dong-Jin was born on May 12, 1984. His football journey commenced at a young age, as he joined the Pohang Steelers youth team's under-12 sides, indicating an early start in organized football within a professional club's development system.
2.2. Academic and youth team career
Song Dong-Jin attended Pocheol Dong Elementary School, Pohang Jecheol Middle School, and Pohang Jecheol Industrial High School. His academic pursuits were intertwined with his athletic development, as these schools were part of the robust youth system affiliated with the K-League club, Pohang Steelers. This educational and developmental pathway allowed him to progress through the club's ranks before joining the senior team.
3. Club career
Song Dong-Jin's professional club career was predominantly spent with Pohang Steelers, interspersed with a period of mandatory military service, during which he played in the R-League. A highlight of his career was his impactful performance in the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup.
3.1. Pohang Steelers: Early career and debut
Song Dong-Jin joined Pohang Steelers in 2003 after completing his schooling through the club's youth system. Upon joining the professional squad, he faced stiff competition for a starting position among established goalkeepers such as Kim Byung-ji (김병지Kim Byung-jiKorean), Jung Sung-ryong (정성룡Jung Sung-ryongKorean), and Shin Hwa-yong (신화용Shin Hwa-yongKorean). This competitive environment limited his appearances in the early stages of his professional career. Despite the strong competition, he eventually made his competitive debut for Pohang.
3.2. Military service and R-League
From 2006 to 2007, Song Dong-Jin fulfilled his mandatory two-year military duty by serving at National Police Agency FC. During this period, he predominantly played in the R-League, which is a reserve league within the South Korean football structure. This allowed him to maintain his match fitness and continue his development, albeit outside of the primary K-League competition.
3.3. 2009 FIFA Club World Cup performance
Song Dong-Jin delivered a notable performance during the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup. Pohang Steelers, participating as the champions of the 2009 AFC Champions League, advanced to the semi-finals. In their semi-final match against Estudiantes La Plata, the starting goalkeeper, Shin Hwa-yong, received a red card, making him ineligible for the subsequent match.
As a result, Song Dong-Jin was selected to start in the third-place match on December 19, 2009, against Mexican club Atlante FC. The match ended in a 4-3 victory for Pohang Steelers after a penalty shootout. Song Dong-Jin played a crucial role in securing the third-place finish by saving two penalty kicks during the shootout, including one from Márquez. His decisive saves were instrumental in leading the team to a historic third position in the tournament.
3.4. Later career and retirement
Following his memorable performance at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, Song Dong-Jin continued his career with Pohang Steelers. He played from 2010 onward, although his appearances remained limited due to the strong competition for the goalkeeper position. Song Dong-Jin ultimately announced his retirement from professional football at the conclusion of the 2012 season.
4. Career statistics
| 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 | ||||||||||
| 2003 | Pohang Steelers | K-League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2006 | National Police Agency | R-League | - | - | - | ||||||||||
| 2007 | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
| 2008 | Pohang Steelers | K-League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | South Korea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||