“I am looking for the beginning and doing my best to help the team”
Ji So-yeon (31, photo), a representative of Korean women’s soccer, who returned to the domestic stage after playing in England, wears a women’s uniform of the WK League Suwon FC women’s business league.
Suwon FC Women’s announced the signing of Ji So-yeon on the 24th. After graduating from Hanyang Women’s University, Ji So-yeon started her professional career in Ainak, Kobe, Japan in 2010. After she scored 21 goals in 48 appearances over three seasons, she moved to England Women’s Super League (WSL) Chelsea in January 2014. Ji So-yeon was the first Korean female athlete to advance to the English stage.
At Chelsea, Ji So-yeon contributed to winning the WSL 6 times, the Women’s England Football Association (FA) Cup 4 times, the League Cup 2 times, and the Community Shield 1 time, including the 2017 spring season. In her debut season, she was awarded the WSL Player of the Year and the English Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Player of the Year. While she played for the WSL, she became the first non-British player to make 100 and 200 appearances in her career. In 210 appearances, she scored 68 goals. She ranks third on the team for the most appearances and the most goals scored.
Ji So-yeon first wore the Taegeuk mark in 2006 when she was 15 years old, and scored 88 goals in 169 A matches while playing for the national team for 16 years. Ji So-yeon, who starts her career as a second player in the domestic business league, said, “It is an honor to be able to play his first WK league life as Suwon FC Women. He will go back to his basics and do his best to become a player who can help the team,” he said.
Suwon FC Women, founded in 2008 as the 6th women’s unemployment team in Korea, are in 4th place out of 8 teams in the WK League as of the 24th. Suwon FC Women will hold a press conference for Ji So-yeon’s joining at Suwon City Hall on the 26th, and the signing ceremony will be held at halftime during the home match against Sejong Sports Toto.
By Yoo Jae-young, staff reporter [email protected]