Kim Yong-sik


Kim Yong-sik was a South Korean football player who played international football for both Japan and South Korea. He is esteemed as a godfather in the South Korean football. He was diligent and only absorbed in the football. He extremely avoided harmful things to human body including alcohol and tobacco, and had ardor for training. He played as a centre-half, but he was a playmaker who took part in the attack. He was noted for his workrate, rapid pace, and elaborate techniques, which could go around the field while he didn't drop the ball to the ground. Japan also couldn't ignore his skills, and selected him for the Japan national team.
Kim became the only Korean, selected for the Japan squad for the 1936 Summer Olympics, and contributed to defeating Sweden by assisting the winning goal in the tournament. In 1937, Kim joined Waseda University which had many Japan national team's players but he went back to Korea because of the discrimination about Korean. He could participate in the Olympics with Korean nationality after the end of the Japanese forced occupation. He achieved the first victory of the South Korea football history against Mexico in the 1948 Summer Olympics, in which he participated as a player-coach. After the retirement, he managed South Korea at the 1954 FIFA World Cup and 1960 AFC Asian Cup.

Career statistics

International

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Honours

Player

Soongsil College
Kyungsung FC
Joseon Electrical Industry
Individual
South Korea
Yangzee