Each month in the section "our heroes" you will read about the club's greatest idols. Who are these heroes and what have they meant to the club? With this month: Ji-Sung Park. The tireless South Korean joined PSV in 2003 and became a smash hit in the Eredivisie, appearing in almost 120 matches for PSV. The South Korean also managed to impress outside of Eindhoven.
Ji-Sung Park was born in the South Korean capital of Seoul, but began his professional career with a Japanese club. Kyoto Purple Sanga, then playing in the Japanese J-League, was Ji-Sung's first employer. In 2001, he became national champion with the club in his second season, with 38 games to his name. He made a good impression with the team at a young age, which earned him his debut for the South Korean national team in 2000. The midfielder had already made quite a name for himself in the Asian country, and his breakthrough on the international football stage would soon follow.
On the map
The midfielder was included by Dutchman and also PSV icon Guus Hiddink in South Korea's selection for the 2002 World Cup, which the country hosted together with Japan. In the previous five World Cup finals, South Korea had not won a single match, but the tournament became a fairy tale for the "Asian Tigers," with Ji-Sung as one of the key players. The host country became group winner of Pool D by winning against, among others, superpower Portugal. Ji-Sung, then 21 years old, scored the only goal of the match, a historic one in South Korean football history. With the group win, the country was already under the spell of Hiddink's team, but the story did not stop there. They took care of Italy's star team in the eighth final and even Spain was defeated in the quarterfinals after penalty kicks. The semifinals against Germany turned out to be the end of the line for the Koreans, who were held in high regard by the people of the country.
Glory time in North Brabant
When Guus Hiddink started his second stint as head coach of PSV after the World Cup, he immediately called on the stars of his Korean formation. Some 8,600 kilometers from his hometown of Seoul, Ji-Sung signed a contract in Eindhoven in December 2002. Shortly after Ji-Sung's appointment, compatriot Lee Young-Pyo also joined PSV; he also proved to be a hit.
The playmaker grew into a PSV legend. His work ethic, perseverance and modesty made him a crowd favorite among club supporters. On the pitch, the modest Park asserted himself: despite struggling at first with injuries and the new environment, he soon became a base player and a mainstay in Hiddink's eleven. With Ji-Sung in the starting lineup, surrounded by players such as Mark van Bommel, Jefferson Farfán and Philip Cocu, PSV made it to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League. The club also became national champions twice and won the TOTO KNVB Beker as well as the Johan Cruijff Schaal. Seventeen times he found the net in all competitions.
Top transfer
Workhorse Ji-Sung became a sought-after player by top European teams. In 2005, he signed with Manchester United FC, where he quickly became a regular in the starting lineup under coach Alex Ferguson. In England, he was nicknamed "Three Lungs Park" because of his endless stamina and running ability. He became four-time Premier League champion in Manchester, won the World Cup for clubs, won two Super Cups and credited three times with the League Cup in the shirt of "The Red Devils. In addition, he won the UEFA Champions League in 2008 and was close to a second 'cup with the big ears' in 2009, in the semifinals of that edition Park decided the semifinal by scoring the winning goal against Arsenal FC. In 205 games for the superpower, Ji-Sung scored 27 times and accounted for 29 assists. Former teammates and coaches still describe him as an underexposed gem in Manchester United FC's star-studded ensemble.
In 2012, Ji-Sung and 'Man U' parted ways, the South Korean signing with Queens Park Rangers FC. His time at that club proved less successful than his previous one: Park played only 20 league games, failed to score and relegated with his team at the end of the season. He left the London club after one season, only to return to his old love.
Second period
Ji-Sung joined PSV in 2013 for the second time in his career. He brought experience to the young selection of coach Philip Cocu, also a former teammate of Park. The 32-year-old played nearly 30 games for PSV 1 that season, in which he scored two goals. One of these goals fell in the home victory over Ajax (4-0). He played the last official game of his career in May 2014 against NAC Breda, as a good week later he announced his retirement as a professional. The midfielder, always playing with a smile on his face, is currently active as a board member of South Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
National hero
Former PSV player Park is considered a great legend to South Korean football fans. Ji-Sung played one hundred international matches for the national team. This includes three participations at world championships in 2002, 2006 and 2010. He was a thirteen-time goal scorer in his homeland's shirt.