FC Seoul
FC Seoul is a South Korean professional football club based in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, that plays in the K League 1. The club is owned by GS Sports, a subsidiary of GS Group.
The club was officially founded as Lucky-Goldstar Football Club in 1983, by the Lucky-Goldstar Group. FC Seoul have won six League titles, two FA Cups, two League Cups and one Super Cup. FC Seoul is one of the most successful and popular clubs in the K League 1, with financial backing from the GS Group.
In 2012, FC Seoul was evaluated as the most valuable football brand in the K League.
History
Founding and early years (1983–1989)
FC Seoul was officially announced on 18 August as the new club and founded on 22 December 1983, and started out in 1984 as Lucky-Goldstar Football Club, owned and financially supported by the Lucky-Goldstar Group, with the Chungcheong Province its franchise and Hwangso as its mascot.In order to launch the professional football club, Lucky-Goldstar Group had a preparation period from 1982 and demanded that the original franchise should be Seoul. In the 1984 season, the club finished seventh out of the eight clubs. The club fared better in the 1985 season when they won the championship with the help of Thailand national football team player Piyapong Pue-on, who was the top scorer, as well as the top assistor.
Moving to Seoul and then to Anyang (1990–2003)
From the beginning of 1988, Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso pushed forward a relocation to Seoul At the end of the 1989 season, the Korea Professional Football League, worried about the financial stability of the clubs, invited a number of clubs to play in Seoul. Thus, the Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso, which had always wanted to be based in the capital, moved to Seoul Stadium in Seoul at the end of 1989.The club finished first season in Seoul as champions. The club changed its name to LG Cheetahs in 1991 to mirror the LG Twins, a professional baseball team also owned by LG Group. After several seasons in Seoul, the club was forced to move in 1996, as part of the K League's decentralization policy. This policy was carried out to stimulate the growth of football in the provinces. In addition, in 1995, Korea was bidding to host the 2002 FIFA World Cup. This warranted the construction of a soccer-specific stadium in Seoul. The three clubs based in Seoul – LG Cheetahs, Ilhwa Chunma, and Yukong Elephants did not want to recognize the decentralization policy. Ultimately, it proved necessary for the Korean government to issue an eviction order to the disaffected clubs. However, the government did guarantee if the clubs built a soccer-specific stadium in Seoul, the clubs could have a Seoul franchise and return to Seoul.
As a result, 3 clubs were evicted from Seoul to other cities. This entailed the move of the LG Cheetahs to the Anyang Sports Complex in the city of Anyang, a satellite city of Seoul, 21 km away. The club was now known as the Anyang LG Cheetahs. In the upcoming years, a solid base of supporters was formed, and it established a strong league rivalry with the Suwon Samsung Bluewings. This rivalry was partly fueled by the fact that LG Group and Samsung Group, which owned the Suwon club, were also considered rivals in the business world, especially in electronics. The club continued to grow and in 2000, they won their third Championship, behind the firepower of striker Choi Yong-Soo.
Return to Seoul and renaming to FC Seoul (2004–2006)
For the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, ten brand new stadiums of World Cup standards were built in South Korea. After the World Cup, the Korean World Cup Organizing Committee and the KFA actively supported the move of regional K League clubs into the new stadia. This was designed tdko avoid or at least minimize any financial losses through having to maintain a stadium in playing condition without regular income. However, due to the previous decision by the K League to exclude any member club from being based in Seoul, Seoul World Cup Stadium remained vacant, except as a host of some international friendlies. Thus, the city government of Seoul and the KFA both actively sought for a K League club to play at the stadium to take on the cost of maintaining the stadium. Initially, it was intended to create a new club, but when it later transpired that any club playing in Seoul World Cup Stadium would have to pay partially for the construction fees of the stadium, this would have placed an unreasonable burden on a fledgling club. Thus, the KFA tried to lure one of the current clubs to Seoul. The Anyang LG Cheetahs, with the financial backing of the LG Group, who not only viewed the move back to Seoul as a way to increase its advertising presence, but had the right to come back to Seoul because it had its franchise moved by force in 1996, as part of the K League's decentralization policy. Anyang LG announced in February 2004 that it would pay the share of the construction fees. This proposed move provoked a significant amount of controversy from the Korean football fans as KFA and K League failed to launch a new football club based in Seoul due to a high Seoul franchise fee. Regardless, KFA and K League ultimately permitted relocation of Anyang LG Cheetahs.liesŞenol Güneş years (2007–2009)
managed FC Seoul for a three-year period starting on December 8, 2006. The club started the 2007 season with three consecutive wins and a draw, including a 4–1 win over arch rivals Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the Super Match. However, FC Seoul failed to qualify for the play-off phase of the season, but the club succeeded in getting into the final of the 2007 Korean League Cup. Before the next season, Park Chu-Young, the ace of FC Seoul at that time, was transferred to Ligue 1 club Monaco. FC Seoul finished in a second-place in the K League regular season, and progressed to the play-offs. FC Seoul defeated Ulsan Hyundai in the play-off semi-final but was defeated by Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the final. Despite the loss, the club still qualified for the 2009 AFC Champions League. During the season, Dejan Damjanović scored 15 goals.FC Seoul's 2009 AFC Champions League campaign began with a 2–1 win over Indonesian side Sriwijaya FC. In the next three games, FC Seoul obtained only one point in the matches against Gamba Osaka and Shandong Luneng. However, Seoul then defeated the title holders Gamba Osaka and qualified to the round of 16 after Sriwijaya's unexpected victory over Shandong Luneng. On June 24, 2009, FC Seoul beat Kashima Antlers 5–4 after penalties after a 0–0 draw in the round of 16 clash and advanced to the quarter-finals, but were beaten 4–3 on aggregate by Qatari club Umm Salal. FC Seoul's appearance in the AFC Champions League was its first since the Asian Club Championship era.
The Şenol Güneş era ended on November 25, 2009, with the manager returning to Trabzonspor.
K League and League Cup "double" (2010)
FC Seoul appointed Nelo Vingada as manager on December 14, 2009. Vingada won the K League and League Cup with FC Seoul. FC Seoul had 20 wins, 2 draws, and 6 defeats in the domestic league under Vingada's management.FC Seoul recorded an attendance of 60,747 against Seongnam Ilhwa on May 5, 2010 at Seoul World Cup Stadium, which is the highest single-game attendance record in South Korean professional sports history. FC Seoul also recorded the single season highest total attendance record – 546,397, and the single regular & post season highest average attendance record of 32,576.
On August 25, 2010, FC Seoul beat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3–0 to become the 2010 League Cup winners. FC Seoul were also crowned K League champions by defeating Jeju United 4–3 on aggregate in the K League Championship final, thus achieving their first "double" in the club's history. The crowd of 56,769 in the second leg also set the record of the highest attendance in K League Championship history.
On December 13, 2010, FC Seoul wanted to extend Vingada's one-year contract but FC Seoul and Vingada could not come to an agreement over the salary conditions, resulting in Vingada returning to Portugal.
AFC Champions League final and the sixth K League title
FC Seoul's former player Choi Yong-soo was hired to manage the club in 2012, after previously serving as the assistant manager and caretaker for the club in 2011. In 2013, FC Seoul lost the AFC Champions League Final on away goals rule against Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande. The AFC Champions League campaign has earned Choi Yong-soo the 2013 AFC Coach of the Year award, becoming the second South Korean in succession to win the individual accolade following the previous year's winner Kim Ho-kon. Choi left the club in June 2016.On June 21, 2016, FC Seoul appointed Hwang Sun-hong as their eleventh manager in the club's history. On November 6, 2016, FC Seoul won their sixth K League title after defeating Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–0 in the final round of the season.
Hwang Sun-hong resigned on April 30, 2018. In the 2018 season, FC Seoul finished in eleventh place and had to play the K League promotion-relegation playoffs for the first time in their history. In the playoffs, they defeated Busan IPark 4–2 on aggregate, thus staying in the top flight.
On October 11, 2018, Choi Yong-soo was appointed as the twelfth manager in the club's history, having previously managed the club between 2011 and 2016.
However, Seoul, which had been under fire since the beginning of the 2020 season, has been mired in five consecutive losses for the first time in 22 years, disappointing fans.
Club culture
Supporters
FC Seoul has a diverse fanbase, including former Lucky-Goldstar fans, LG Cheetahs fans, Anyang LG Cheetahs fans. FC Seoul's number-12 shirt is reserved for supporters of the club. The main supporter group of FC Seoul is Suhoshin, formed in April 2004. There are also some minor supporter groups.V-Girls and V-Man
V-Girls & V-Man are FC Seoul's cheerleaders. The V stands for victory. They cheerlead at the East Stand.Stadiums
Since 2004, FC Seoul's home is the Seoul World Cup Stadium, which is the largest football-specific stadium in Asia. FC Seoul's players train at the GS Champions Park training centre, a purpose-built facility opened in 1989, located east of Seoul in the city of Guri.In the past, FC Seoul played at Daejeon Stadium, Cheongju Civic Stadium, Cheonan Oryong Stadium, Dongdaemun Stadium, and Anyang Stadium.
Crests and mascots
FC Seoul has had different names, and consequently different crests for different periods of the club: Lucky-Goldstar FC, LG Cheetahs, Anyang LG Cheetahs.There has also been different club mascots representing different periods. Former mascots were a bull and a cheetah. The club's current mascot, introduced in 2004, is named "SSID". The "SSID" stands for Seoul & Sun In Dream. In the 2018 season, FC Seoul added another mascot, "Seoul-i".
A special crest for the club's 20th anniversary was used in 2003. The current crest has been used since 2004.
Kits
FC Seoul's home kits have red-and-black stripes, as in their crest.FC Seoul wore both red kits and yellow kits in home matches from 1984 to 1985.
From 1988 to 1994, the club's home shirt's main colour was yellow, same as the Lucky-Goldstar Group's company colour at the time.
In 1995, Lucky-Goldstar Group pushed ahead with corporate identity unification and the company colour was changed to red. As a result, FC Seoul's jersey colour was changed from yellow to red as part of the unification project.
From 1999 to 2001, FC Seoul wore red and blue stripes but returned to all red in the 2002 season and In 2005, FC Seoul changed to red and black stripes and this colour has been in use since.
In June 2016, FC Seoul released the 1984–1985 retro jersey to commemorate foundation of the club and the first K League title.
First kit summary
;NotesDuring 1984 season and 1985 season, FC Seoul worn red shirts and yellows shirts by turns as first kit,
At that time FC Seoul did't have the concept of first kit and second kit.
In the 1987 season, all K League clubs wore white shirts in home matches and coloured jerseys in away matches, like in Major League Baseball.
Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors
Kit deals
Honours
Domestic competitions
League
- K League 1
Cups
- FA Cup
- League Cup
- Super Cup
- National Football Championship
International competitions
Asian
- AFC Champions League
Friendly competitions
- Saitama City Cup
Doubles">Double (association football)">Doubles
- Domestic double
Statistics and records
Season-by-season records
※ K League: Only regular season results are counted. Postseason results are not included.※ 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000 seasons had penalty shoot-outs instead of draws.
※ A: Adidas Cup, P: Prospecs Cup, PM: Philip Morris Cup, D: Daehan Fire Insurance Cup
In 1986, competition was known as Professional Football Championship
In 1988 and 1989, competition was known as National Football Championship
In 2000, competition was known as 1999–2000 Asian Cup Winners' Cup
In 2002, competition was known as 2001–02 Asian Club Championship
K League Championship records
K League promotion-relegation playoffs
Players
Current squad
| No. | Pos. | Nationality | Player |
 South Korea | Yu Sang-hun | ||
| South Korea | Hwang Hyun-soo | ||
| South Korea | Kim Nam-chun | ||
 Spain | Osmar | ||
| South Korea | Kim Ju-sung | ||
 Brazil | Adriano | ||
| South Korea | Ki Sung-yueng | ||
 Uzbekistan | Ikromjon Alibaev | ||
| South Korea | Park Chu-young | ||
| South Korea | Cho Young-wook | ||
| South Korea | Go Yo-han | ||
| South Korea | Kim Won-sik | ||
| South Korea | Ju Se-jong | ||
| South Korea | Kim Jin-ya | ||
| South Korea | Lee Seung-jae | ||
| South Korea | Yun Ju-tae | ||
| South Korea | Cha Oh-yeon | ||
| South Korea | Yang Han-been | ||
| South Korea | Yun Young-sun | ||
| South Korea | Yoon Jong-gyu | ||
| South Korea | Jung Hyun-cheol | ||
| South Korea | Han Chan-hee | ||
| South Korea | Kim Jin-seong | ||
| South Korea | Ko Kwang-min | ||
| South Korea | Kang Sang-hee | ||
| South Korea | Kim Min-su | ||
| South Korea | Jeong Jin-wook | ||
| South Korea | Baek Jong-beom | ||
| South Korea | Lee In-gyu | ||
| South Korea | Cho Seok-young | ||
| South Korea | Yang Yu-min | ||
| South Korea | Kwon Sung-yun | ||
| South Korea | Jung Han-min | ||
| South Korea | Oh Min-kyu | ||
| South Korea | Song Jin-hyung | ||
| South Korea | Kim Won-gun | ||
| South Korea | Han Seung-gyu |
Note: Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.
Out on loan and military service
Former players
Player records
Retired number(s)
12 – SupportersCaptains
Club officials
- For details on all-time managers, see List of FC Seoul managers.
Coaching staff
Supporting staff
Managerial history
- For details on all-time manager statistics, see List of FC Seoul managers.
| No. | Name | Appointed | From | To | Season | Notes |
| Park Se-hak | 1983-08-12 | 1983-12-22 | 1987-11-19 | 1984–1987 |
| |
| C | Ko Jae-wook | 1987-12-01 | 1987-12-01 | 1988-12-26 | 1988 | before being promoted to regular manager in 1989. |
| 2 | Ko Jae-wook | 1988-12-27 | 1988-12-27 | 1993-12-31 | 1989–1993 | |
| 3 | Cho Young-jeung | 1993-11-23 | 1994-01-01 | 1996-11-05 | 1994–1996 | |
| 4 | Park Byung-joo | 1996-12-10 | 1996-12-20 | 1998-11-25 | 1997–1998 | |
| 5 | Cho Kwang-rae | 1998-10-22 | 1998-12-01 | 2004-12-15 | 1999–2004 | |
| 6 | Lee Jang-soo | 2004-12-30 | 2005-01-10 | 2006-12-02 | 2005–2006 | |
| 7 |  Şenol Güneş | 2006-12-08 | 2007-01-08 | 2009-11-25 | 2007–2009 | |
| 8 |  Nelo Vingada | 2009-12-14 | 2010-01-03 | 2010-12-13 | 2010 | |
| 9 |  Hwangbo Kwan | 2010-12-28 | 2011-01-05 | 2011-04-26 | 2011 | |
| C | Choi Yong-soo | 2011-04-26 | 2011-04-26 | 2011-12-08 | 2011 |
|
| 10 | Choi Yong-soo | 2011-12-09 | 2011-12-09 | 2016-06-22 | 2012–2016 | as a FC Seoul player and a manager. |
| C | Kim Seong-jae | 2016-06-23 | 2016-06-23 | 2016-06-26 | 2016 | Left after one match in charge. |
| 11 | Hwang Sun-hong | 2016-06-21 | 2016-06-27 | 2018-04-30 | 2016–2018 | |
| C | Lee Eul-yong | 2018-04-30 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-10-11 | 2018 | |
| 12 | Choi Yong-soo | 2018-10-11 | 2018-10-11 | 2020-07-30 | 2018–2020 | |
| C | Kim Ho-young | 2020-07-30 | 2020-07-30 | 2020– |
Management
Board of Directors
Chairman history
Ownership
Popular culture
FC Seoul and FC Seoul supporters have been portrayed in a number of Korean dramas and movies:- Dramas: Which Star Are You From, Heading to the Ground, A Thousand Kisses
- Movies: , Dancing Queen, Running Man, Big Match, Salut d'Amour