Hong Myung-bo

Hong Myung-bo (Korean: 홍명보, Hanja: 洪明甫; Korean pronunciation: [hoŋmjʌŋbo]; born 12 February 1969) is a South Korean former footballer who played as a sweeper, and the current head coach of Ulsan Hyundai. Hong is often considered one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time.[3] Hong was a member of the South Korean national team in four FIFA World Cups, and was the first Asian player to play in four consecutive World Cup final tournaments. He was the first Asian player who received the Bronze Ball at the World Cup.[4] He was also one of only two Asian players in the FIFA 100, Pelé's selection about the 125 greatest living footballers in the world.[5]

Hong Myung-bo
Hong in 2013
Personal information
Date of birth (1969-02-12) 12 February 1969
Place of birth Seoul, South Korea
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Sweeper
Club information
Current team
 Ulsan Hyundai (manager)
Youth career
1981–1983[1] Kwanghee Middle School
1984–1986[1] Dongbuk High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1990 Korea University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991 Sangmu FC (draft)
1992–1997 POSCO Atoms 110 (14)
1997–1998 Bellmare Hiratsuka 42 (0)
1999–2001 Kashiwa Reysol 72 (7)
2002 Pohang Steelers 19 (0)
2003–2004 LA Galaxy 38 (0)
Total 281 (21)
National team
2000 South Korea U23 (WC) 1 (0)
1991[2] South Korea Universiade
1990–2002 South Korea 136 (10)
Teams managed
2009 South Korea U20
2009–2012 South Korea U23
2013–2014 South Korea
2016–2017 Hangzhou Greentown
2021– Ulsan Hyundai
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
Hong Myung-bo
Hangul
홍명보
Hanja
洪明甫
Revised RomanizationHong Myeong-bo
McCune–ReischauerHong Myŏng-bo
In this Korean name, the family name is Hong.

International career

Hong was named in the South Korea squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup just four months after his international debut.[6] The youngest South Korean player who participated in the tournament, he played in all three games of the group stage, and received the most praise in South Korea, although they lost all group matches.[7][8] He was also selected as a member of the South Korea Universiade team for the 1991 Summer Universiade.[2] Scoring a goal in the first match against Algeria,[9] he helped them advance to the final by stabilizing the defense of the team.[10] After drawing the final with the Netherlands without a goal, he succeeded to score the first shot of South Korea in the penalty shoot-out, and finally won a gold medal.[11]

His talent was most notable during the group stage of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. When South Korea had only five minutes to catch up Spain, who was leading the match with the score of 2–0, he scored the first goal outside the penalty area, and assisted his teammate Seo Jung-won to score the equalizer goal shortly after, making the match a memorable draw against Spain.[12] In the match that took place two weeks later, South Korea was losing during the first half with the score of 3–0 against the defending champions Germany, represented by numerous skillful players including two Ballon d'Or winners Lothar Matthäus and Matthias Sammer.[13] After South Korean striker Hwang Sun-hong struck their first goal into the net, he scored the second goal himself with a long-range shot, but that was the last goal of the match.[14]

He participated in the 1994 Asian Games after the World Cup, but he injured his knee during the quarter-final match against Japan.[15] South Korea lost to Uzbekistan in the semi-finals after he quit the tournament. When Park Jong-hwan managed the South Korea squad, Hong was in conflict with Park who had a coercive disposition, and was criticized for forming his faction in the national team.[16] He was also doubted whether he played the game lazily after South Korea lost 6–2 to Iran in the quarter-finals of the 1996 AFC Asian Cup.[17] At the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, South Korea was eliminated at the first round with one draw and two losses. He didn't prevent team's 5–0 loss in the second game against the Netherlands.[18] He was selected as an over-aged player by the South Korea under-23 for the 2000 Summer Olympics, but he was injured just before the tournament, and replaced by Kang Chul.[19] At the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, South Korea failed to win by finishing the tournament as third place, but Hong was selected for the All-Star Team.

Hong captained South Korea to a historic fourth-place finish in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He scored the winning penalty to secure a 5–3 shootout victory in the quarter final against Spain after a goalless draw. The Technical Study Group voted him as the third best player of the tournament, the Bronze Ball winner, so he became the first ever Asian player to be named in the top three players at a World Cup. Leader of the Korean defensive trio alongside Kim Tae-young and Choi Jin-cheul, he ended his international career after a 2002 friendly match against World Cup champions Brazil as the all-time leader in appearances for the South Korea national team, with 136 caps.[20]

Style of play

Hong didn't have rapid pace, untiring stamina and outstanding ability about man-to-man defense, but he had wide vision and great leadership, which control the other defenders.[21][22][23] An offensive sweeper, he was noted for his accurate long-range passing skills which also largely contributed to South Korea's attack.[24] He was nicknamed the "Eternal Libero" by South Korean media, and became the icon of South Korean football in his era.[25]

Managerial career

On 26 September 2005, after his retirement as a player, Hong returned to the national team as assistant coach. Helping the manager Dick Advocaat, he took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and worked with the next manager Pim Verbeek in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. After the resignation of Verbeek, he was one of the candidates to become the next manager.

The Korean FA announced that it had appointed him as the South Korea under-20 team, on 19 February 2009. Under his guidance the team reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, but were eliminated due to a 3–2 defeat to Ghana, the eventual champions.

Hong also served an assistant coach for South Korea under-23 team under Park Sung-hwa. In October 2009, he took over the coaching duties at under-23 team. He led his team into third place in the 2010 Asian Games. On 10 August 2012, Hong Myung-bo coached the men's Olympic team to a 2-0 win over Japan to secure the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, which set up a record by obtaining the first medal ever for South Korea in Olympic football as well as being the first Asian team in 44 years to win a medal at that event.[26]

He was named as assistant manager to Guus Hiddink at Anzhi Makhachkala in August 2012. After Choi Kang-hee, the former head coach of South Korea, took the responsibility of the team's poor performance in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification and resigned from his position, Hong Myung-bo was appointed as the new head coach of the team on 24 June 2013 to prepare the team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. After a winless World Cup campaign, Hong resigned from his post on 10 July 2014.

On 24 December 2020, Hong was appointed as the head coach of Ulsan Hyundai.[27]

Personal life

Hong married Cho Soo-mi, who was five years younger than him, in 1997. He has two sons, Hong Seong-min and Hong Jeong-min. One of them is currently attending Korea International School. Hong also has two younger siblings. Hong is known for his reticence and charisma.[28]

Career statistics

Club

Source:[29]

Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Sangmu FC (draft) 1991Semipro League???[lower-alpha 1]??[lower-alpha 2]?—?[lower-alpha 3]???
POSCO Atoms 1992K League291—80——371
1993K League111—10——121
1994K League174—00——174
1995K League241—70——311
1996K League297?[lower-alpha 4]?50?[lower-alpha 5]?—347
1997K League00?[lower-alpha 4]?60?[lower-alpha 5]?—60
Total 11014??270??—13714
Bellmare Hiratsuka 1997J1 League1003100——131
1998J1 League3202000——340
Total 4205100——471
Kashiwa Reysol 1999J1 League2854252——379
2000J1 League2922020——332
2001J1 League1500030——180
Total 72762102——8811
Pohang Steelers 2002K League190?[lower-alpha 4]?00——190
LA Galaxy 2003Major League Soccer25020—?[lower-alpha 6]?—270
2004Major League Soccer13000———130
Total 38020—??—400
Career total 28121133372????33126
  1. Appearance(s) in Korean National Championship
  2. Appearance(s) in Korean Semi-professional Championship
  3. Appearance(s) in Korean President's Cup
  4. Appearance(s) in Korean FA Cup
  5. Appearance(s) in Asian Club Championship
  6. Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions' Cup

International

Source:[30]

National teamYearAppsGoals
South Korea U23 200010
South Korea 1990202
199110
199231
1993182
1994144
199550
1996161
1997120
199880
199950
2000110
200170
2002160
Total13610
Career total13710

International goals
Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.3 August 1990Beijing, China China PR1 goal1–1 (6–5 PSO)1990 Dynasty Cup
2.23 September 1990Beijing, China Singapore1 goal7–01990 Asian Games
3.24 August 1992Beijing, China North Korea1 goal1–11992 Dynasty Cup
4.13 May 1993Beirut, Lebanon India1 goal3–01994 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.19 October 1993Doha, Qatar Iraq1 goal2–21994 FIFA World Cup qualification
6.5 June 1994Boston, United States Ecuador1 goal1–2Friendly match
7.17 June 1994Dallas, United States Spain1 goal2–21994 FIFA World Cup
8.27 June 1994Dallas, United States Germany1 goal2–31994 FIFA World Cup
9.11 September 1994Gangneung, South Korea Ukraine1 goal1–0Friendly match
10.8 August 1996Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Chinese Taipei1 goal4–01996 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Honours

Player

Sangmu FC

POSCO Atoms

Kashiwa Reysol

South Korea Universiade

South Korea

Individual

Manager

South Korea U23

References
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