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Koo Ja-cheol talks future of Korean football in AFC headquarters visit

Published: 10 Aug. 2025, 15:41

Koo Ja-cheol poses during his retirement press conference at the KFA House in central Seoul on Jan. 14. [YONHAP]

Former Korean national team midfielder Koo Ja-cheol has shifted his career toward football administration, visiting the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to study how the sport is managed across Asia and how different countries develop their programs.

Koo, who fully retired this year and now serves as a youth adviser for K League 1 team Jeju SK, met with AFC officials to study national associations’ administrative capabilities, tournament operation manuals and the strengths and weaknesses of AFC Champions League clubs.

He also took part in an interview on Korean football that the AFC featured on its main page on Saturday.

Koo named Korea’s 2-0 win over Japan in the bronze-medal match at the 2012 Olympics as the highlight of his career.

“Before the [quarterfinal] game against Britain, our coach showed us newspaper articles — none of them mentioned us,” Koo said. “Everyone was already looking ahead to a Brazil semifinal. That gave us motivation. We told ourselves: ‘We will beat them.’ And we did, because we trusted each other completely.

“In the end, we beat Japan and won the bronze medal. At that time, I think we had a stronger football history than them. But now, I feel that Japan have improved more than Korea Republic. So we need to keep developing too.”

A picture of Koo Ja-cheol shared on the AFC's official website [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Koo started his professional career with Jeju United, now called Jeju SK, in 2007 and began his Bundesliga career with VfL Wolfsburg in 2010, going on to make 211 league appearances with Wolfsburg, Mainz and FC Augsburg.

He spent a little over two years in Qatar and returned to Jeju in 2022, before hanging up his boots in January.

For the national team, he was the top scorer at the 2011 Asian Cup and appeared at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.

Speaking about Korea’s 11th straight World Cup qualification, Koo said, “We’ve been going to the World Cup consistently, and we now have that experience and mentality. We’ve played against the best in the world. That’s why we know how to prepare. Our focus is always to go beyond the group stage — we don’t stop at qualification anymore. That’s the new standard for us.”

He mentioned Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC, Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich and Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain as key strengths for Korean football.

“Now we have world-class players in our team. They lead the group and show their quality,” Koo said. “And in the World Cup, when we face world-class opponents, it’s important to have players who can match that level. This is one of the strong points of the Korean team.”

Augsburg midfielder Koo Ja-cheol, front, vies for the ball during a Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, on Oct. 25, 2015. [AP/YONHAP]

He noted that modern football has become increasingly tactical.

“Football culture has changed a lot since I started,” he said. “In the past, the game was more focused on attacking, but now it’s about the system. For example, we saw Spain’s tiki-taka, and the influence of [Pep] Guardiola. Now, many teams play possession football with more players involved in the buildup. It’s more tactical, and now coaches need to be ahead all the time.

“Even teams with less quality can prepare well tactically — tight blocks, small spaces, smart transitions. That’s why the head coach’s responsibility is even greater now.”

Koo said the K League remains strong but faces challenges from Saudi Arabian clubs that spend heavily to attract top European players.

“But now, clubs like those in Saudi Arabia are spending more and bringing in top-level players from Europe,” he said. “So the question for Korea is, how do we compete? We can’t spend the same amount of money, so we need to find smarter solutions.”

He pointed to Gwangju FC, which reached the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite quarterfinals under manager Lee Jung-hyo.

“They have an interesting head coach; young, with clear tactical ideas,” Koo said. “They play possession football with high energy, and they always show their character. That kind of football is exciting to watch, even in the K League.”

To Asia’s next generation of players, Koo said, “There is no shortcut to success. Young players must focus on themselves, not on the team or the future. Ask yourself: What are your weaknesses? What do you want to improve? Then decide, and put in the effort.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY PARK RIN [[email protected]]