Choi Chung-min

Choi Chung-min (Korean: 최정민; Hanja: 崔貞敏; 30 August 1930 – 8 August 1983) is a former South Korean football player and manager. He played for the South Korea national team.[1] Known as "Asia's Golden Legs" among the fans, the late Choi was one of the best strikers in Asia at that time. He is well known for his height and rapid pace. Ryuzo Hiraki, Japanese defender, said "Choi Chung-min was such a great player with balance and speed we couldn't stop him. We felt as if we were a group of children playing against a big man."[2]

This article is about a male footballer. For the female swimmer, see Choi Jung-min.
In this Korean name, the family name is Choi.
Choi Chung-min
Personal information
Full name Choi Chung-min
Date of birth (1930-08-30)30 August 1930
Place of birth Taedong, Pyongnam, Japanese Korea
Date of death 8 December 1983(1983-12-08) (aged 53)
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
?–? KACIC
National team
1953–1961 South Korea 47 (22)
Teams managed
1967–1968 Yangzee
1977 South Korea
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
Choi Chung-min
Hangul
최정민
Hanja
崔貞敏
Revised RomanizationChoe Jeong-min
McCune–ReischauerCh'oe Chŏng-min

Choi was born in Taedong, and grew up in Pyongyang. He was a famous volleyball and football player during his school days. He moved south by January–Fourth Retreat of the Korean War, and enlisted in the Korea Army Counter Intelligence Corps (KACIC). He played for the football club of the KACIC and the South Korea national football team by Kim Yong-sik since 1952.[3] Choi scored 22 goals in the national team with 47 caps. He won two AFC Asian Cups and two Asian Games silver medals with his team.[4]

Choi went to Japan for the 1954 FIFA World Cup qualification. South Korea national team had desperate responsibility to the two matches against Japan because of fans' pressure, caused by the Japanese forced occupation. He scored three goals during both match, and South Korea advanced to the World Cup by defeating Japan 7–3 on aggregate.[2] In the 1954 FIFA World Cup, he couldn't prevent team's losses against Hungary and Turkey.

Honours

South Korea

References
  1. 50年代슈퍼스타 崔貞敏씨 볼과함께살다간'축구 人生' (in Korean). Kyunghyang. 30 August 1983. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  2. "A rivalry is born in Tokyo". FIFA. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  3. 최정민(崔貞敏) (in Korean). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  4. 최정민 CHOI Jeongmin FP 1927.07.07 (in Korean). KFA. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
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