For Cho Kyu-sung, 25, of the K League 1 Jeonbuk Hyundai, 2022 was a banner year. He finished as the league’s top scorer with 17 goals and earned a spot on the national team for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. At the World Cup of Dreams, Cho soared. He became the first South Korean player to score multiple goals at a World Cup when he scored two goals in the second round of the group stage against Ghana.
With all the attention on him, and his 6-foot-2 height and good looks, his popularity exploded. European clubs such as Mainz in Germany and Celtic in Scotland showed interest. Despite the European interest, Cho chose to stay with Jeonbuk. He decided that it was better to play in the summer when European soccer starts a new season. The plan is for Cho to showcase his skills domestically before heading overseas for the start of the 2023-2024 European season.
After a promising start to the year, Cho has been quieter than halfway through 2023. He has had a disappointing season, scoring a goal from the penalty spot in the second game of the season. He was also unable to find the back of the net against the Pohang Steelers at the Pohang Steel Yard on Sept. 29 and watched his team lose 0-1.
Cho Kyu-sung played three games in the opening three weeks of the K League 1 season before joining Jürgen Klinsmann’s national team,먹튀검증 but an injury kept him off the field for a while. He made his comeback against Suwon FC on May 21, but has been out of action since then. Cho has only managed four shots on target in six full-time appearances this season. He hasn’t been able to revitalize his offense with his length, and he’s been making a lot of mistakes.
As Cho Kyu-sung has struggled, Jeonbuk, a traditional powerhouse, has plummeted. In 38 games last season, Jeonbuk lost just seven games (21 wins and 10 draws) and finished second in the league with 73 points. This season, however, Jeonbuk has already suffered seven defeats (five wins and three draws) in 15 games, dropping them to seventh place.
Fans protested by blocking the team bus, and Jeonbuk eventually fired former coach Kim Sang-sik.