Dec 8, 2019

'Son-aldo!': Mourinho salutes South Korean's wonder-goal

LONDON (AFP) -- Jose Mourinho hailed Son Heung-min's wonder-strike in Tottenham's 5-0 thrashing of Burnley as the best goal he has seen since an equally stunning effort from Brazilian legend Ronaldo.On the day he was presented with the AFC Asian International Player of the Year award by compatriot Park Ji-sung, Son underlined his place among the game's elite with arguably the greatest goal of his glittering career.With Spurs already rampant after early goals from Harry Kane and Lucas Moura, Son

Dec 3, 2019

Lionel Messi wins Ballon d'Or for sixth time

PARIS (AFP) -- Lionel Messi won a record sixth men's Ballon d'Or award at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, beating Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk to take the honours.Now aged 32, it is Messi's first Ballon d'Or since 2015 and his sixth overall as he moves one ahead of his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished third in the voting.Messi, who attended the ceremony at the Chatelet Theatre in the French capital with his wife and children, succeeds Luka Modric, the Real Madrid and Croatia midfie

Dec 3, 2019

Son Heung-min becomes top Asian finisher in Ballon d'Or voting

South Korean football star Son Heung-min has become the top Asian finisher in voting for the prestigious Ballon d'Or Award.In a ceremony held in Paris on Monday (local time), Son, the South Korean men's national captain and attacking ace for Tottenham Hotspur, came in 22nd place among 30 nominees in balloting for the annual award recognizing the world's best football player. FC Barcelona icon Lionel Messi bagged his record sixth Ballon d'Or to break a tie with Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo. Pr

Dec 2, 2019

S. Korean heroes at FIFA U-20 World Cup recognized with Asian football awards

Heroes for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup runners-up, South Korea, were feted at the annual Asian football awards ceremony on Monday.Chung Jung-yong, former head coach of the U-20 national team, was named the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Coach of the Year at the AFC Awards in Hong Kong, for guiding the upstart South Korea to the final at the world's premier youth tournament in June. South Korea fell to Ukraine 3-1 in the final in Poland, but it was still the country's highest finish at a FIF

Dec 2, 2019

K League MVP faces uncertain future as loan from Japan expires

The reigning K League 1 MVP Kim Bo-kyung is entering an offseason of uncertainty, as his loan deal from Japanese club Kashiwa Reysol to Ulsan Hyundai FC expired with the season's conclusion last weekend.After accepting the trophy for the top individual award in South Korean pro football on Monday, Kim said nothing has been determined about his immediate future. "I know I've reached a point where I have to make a decision," the 30-year-old midfielder said. "As important as my own o

Dec 2, 2019

Title-winning bench boss earns top coaching award in K League

Jose Morais, who guided Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to their third consecutive K League 1 championship, was named the top head coach in South Korean professional football on Monday.  Morais received the Coach of the Year award at the annual K League Awards ceremony in Seoul, about 24 hours after Jeonbuk clinched their record-tying seventh title. Morais won 32.67 points, converted from votes cast by media, fellow head coaches and club captains. Pohang Steelers' Kim Gi-dong was the runner-up with

Dec 2, 2019

Messi and Rapinoe expected to take Ballon d'Or honours

PARIS (AFP) -- Lionel Messi and USA women's World Cup superstar Megan Rapinoe are tipped to leave Paris later on Monday with the 2019 Ballon d'Or awards.It would be an enormous shock if Rapinoe did not depart the Chatelet Theatre with the women's prize as she returns to the country where she was the driving force on and off the field for the United States as they retained their title.The suspense surrounds the identity of the men's winner, 12 months after Croatia's Luka Modric claimed the crown

Nov 30, 2019

Hometown of popular football coach Park Hang-seo pushes to create Vietnam-style village

SANCHEONG, South Korea  -- Sancheong County in southeastern South Korea, which has gained fame as the hometown of Park Hang-seo, the popular South Korean head coach of Vietnam‘s national football team, will push to build a Vietnam-friendly village to attract more tourists from the Southeast Asian country, officials said Saturday.The South Gyeongsang Province county, about 360 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said it has mapped out a basic plan this year to create a Vietnamese village in

Nov 22, 2019

Football legend Cha receives German order of merit

South Korean football legend Cha Bum-kun received the Federal Cross of Merit from the German government Friday for his contribution to the relationship between the two countries. German Ambassador to Seoul Stephan Auer delivered the decoration from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in a ceremony at the German Embassy in Seoul. Cha played in the Bundesliga in Germany from 1978 to 1989. Scoring 98 goals in 308 matches, he was rated as one of the best Asian players in the top German league.He

Nov 20, 2019

Tottenham Hotspur appoint Jose Mourinho as manager

LONDON (AFP) -- Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Jose Mourinho as their new head coach after sacking Mauricio Pochettino, the club said on Wednesday. The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager has signed a contract that runs until the end of the 2022/23 season, the north London club said in an online statement.Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy said: "In Jose we have one of the most successful managers in football. We believe he will bring energy and belief to the dressing room." (AFP)

Nov 20, 2019

S. Korea schooled by Brazil in football friendly loss

ABU DHABI -- South Korea played a supporting role in an entertaining football show put on by Brazil in their men's football friendly match in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, while getting a closer look at the kind of football they should aspire to.Brazil enjoyed a convincing, 3-0 victory at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, performing with the kind of offensive efficiency and flair that continues to define Brazilian football.The first goal, scored on a diving header by Lucas Paqueta, was the result of a textboo

Nov 15, 2019

S. Korean football attackers hold themselves accountable for 2nd straight 0-0 draw

BEIRUT -- South Korean attacking aces Son Heung-min and Hwang Ui-jo took the blame for their team's second straight scoreless draw in the World Cup qualifying campaign on Thursday. South Korea couldn't get one past Lebanon as they ended up in a 0-0 draw in Group H action in the second round of the Asian qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Beirut. The match at Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut was played behind closed doors for security concerns, arising from nationwide protests

Nov 13, 2019

S. Korea looking to end World Cup qualifying for 2019 on winning note vs. Lebanon

ABU DHABI -- South Korea will try to close out their World Cup qualifying campaign for 2019 with an away win against pesky opponents.Coached by Paulo Bento, South Korea will visit Lebanon in Beirut on Thursday for the teams' Group H match in the second round of the Asian qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The kickoff is 3 p.m. local time, and 10 p.m. in Seoul.It will be the last Group H contest for South Korea in 2019.Their next match will be against Turkmenistan at home on March 26, 202

Nov 11, 2019

S. Korea fall to Mexico in quarterfinals at FIFA U-17 World Cup

South Korea's surprising run at the FIFA U-17 World Cup has ended after the second knockout match.South Korea lost to Mexico 1-0 in the quarterfinals at Estadio Kleber Andrade in Vitoria on Sunday (local time), on a goal by Ali Avila in the 77th minute.This was South Korea's fourth trip to the quarterfinals of this youth tournament, and head coach Kim Jung-soo's team was trying to become the first South Korean squad to make it to the semifinals.Choi Min-seo hit the crossbar in the 14th minute fo