Han Kwang-song

Han Kwang-song (Korean: 한광성; Hanja: 韓光成; born 11 September 1998) is a North Korean footballer who plays as a forward for the North Korea national team.

Not to be confused with Han Gwang-song (gymnast).
In this Korean name, the family name is Han.

Han Kwang-song
Han with North Korea in 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-09-11) 11 September 1998
Place of birth Pyongyang, North Korea
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
0000–2013 Chobyong
2013–2014 TecnoFutbol CF
2014–2015 Chobyong
2015–2017 ISM Academy
2017 Cagliari
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2020 Cagliari 12 (1)
2017–2018 → Perugia (loan) 17 (7)
2018–2019 → Perugia (loan) 19 (4)
2019–2020 → Juventus U23 (loan) 17 (0)
2020 Juventus 0 (0)
2020–2021 Al-Duhail 10 (3)
National team‡
2014–2015 North Korea U17 9 (4)
2016 North Korea U19 3 (1)
2017– North Korea 10 (1)

Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl
Hancha
Revised RomanizationHan Gwang-seong
McCune–ReischauerHan Kwang-sŏng
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 August 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2019

Club career

2017: Debut year

Han Kwang-song joined Cagliari at academy level in 2017, after a successful trial period.[1] Han became the first North Korean to play in the Serie A in a 3–1 away win over Palermo, on 2 April 2017, appearing as a substitute for Marco Sau in the 86th minute.[2] He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 home defeat to Torino on 9 April with the final goal of the game 5 minutes into stoppage time, thereby becoming the first North Korean to score in Serie A.[2][3] On 13 April 2017, Han signed a contract extension to continue to play for Cagliari until 2022.[4] He played a total of five league games, scoring once.[5]

2017–18: First loan to Perugia

On 7 August 2017, he was loaned to Serie B team Perugia.[6] He debuted for the club in the Coppa Italia third-round game against Benevento, which Perugia won 4–0.[7] On 27 August 2017, Han scored a hat-trick on his Serie B debut for Perugia in a 5–1 win over Virtus Entella.[8]

Han scored seven league goals for Perugia in 17 games during the 2017–18 season,[5] before returning to Cagliari on 1 February 2018.[9]

2018: Return from loan

Han's first game as a starter for Cagliari, and in Serie A, came on 27 February in a 5–0 home defeat against Napoli.[10] He played seven league games in the 2017–18 season.[5]

2018–19: Second loan to Perugia

On 15 August 2018, Han joined on loan to Perugia for a second time.[11] Initially unable to play due to an injury,[12] Han scored his first seasonal goal against Ascoli in a 0–3 away win.[13] He ended the 2018–19 season with four goals in 20 league games.[5]

2019–2020: Loan to Juventus

On 2 September 2019, Han secured a deadline day move to Juventus on a two-year loan from Cagliari, with an obligation to purchase at the end of the term.[14] The Serie A champions moved him to their reserve team playing in Serie C: Juventus U23.[15] On 26 October 2019, Han was called-up to the first team for the Serie A game against Lecce,[16] becoming the first Asian player to be called-up for Juventus.[17] Han scored one goal and made two assists in 20 appearances for Juventus U23.[18]

2020–21: Qatar Stars League champion

On 2 January 2020, Juventus bought Han from Cagliari for €3.5 million, before selling him to Qatari side Al-Duhail six days later for €7 million.[19][20] He made his debut for Al-Duhail in the Qatar Cup semi-finals on 10 January, in a 2–0 win over Al-Sailiya, coming on as a substitute for Edmilson Junior in the 83th minute.[21] He lost the final 4–0 to Al Sadd seven days later.[22] Han made his Qatar Stars League debut on 24 January, in a 3–1 win over Al-Arabi.[23]

Han's first goals for Al-Duhail came on 6 February, scoring a brace against Muaither in the Emir of Qatar Cup quarter-finals; his side won 4–0.[24] On 11 February, Han debuted in the Asian Champions League against Persepolis, helping his side win 2–0.[25] Han's first league goal came on 22 February, scoring the maiden goal of the match against Al-Wakrah.[26] He scored in the following two consecutive games, on 27 February and 7 March, against Al-Shahania and Al-Sailiya respectively.[5]

Han scored five goals in 14 domestic games, and played two Asian Champions League games.[5] He helped his side win the Qatar Stars League.[27] Due to the sanctions against North Korea, which prevents North Koreans from working abroad, Han was released by Al-Duhail and was due to return to his country.[28]

International career
Han (right) with North Korea against Lebanon at the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Han made his senior debut for North Korea on 6 June 2017, in a friendly against Qatar.[29] He played in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers,[30][31] helping North Korea qualify to the final tournament.[32] Han was called up for the final squad,[33] playing against Saudi Arabia – against whom he was sent off – and Lebanon in the group stage.[34][35] His first international goal came on 14 November 2019, in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Turkmenistan.[36]

Style of play

An ambidextrous player, Han's main characteristics are his dribbling, eye for goal and vision of the game.[37]

Personal life

Han is subject to the politics of the North Korean government; he cannot give interviews, and it is alleged that most of his salary is sent to the government.[38] Due to United Nations (UN) sanctions, which prohibit North Korean citizens from working abroad due to the country's nuclear programme,[39] Han cannot play overseas.[40] Indeed, the UN cited his transfer from Juventus to Al-Duhail as a violation of their international sanctions.[39]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 21 August 2020[5]
Club Season League National Cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cagliari 2016–17 Serie A 5100——51
2017–18 Serie A 7000——70
Total 12100——121
Perugia (loan) 2017–18 Serie B 17720——197
2018–19 Serie B 19400—1[lower-alpha 2]0204
Total 361120—103911
Juventus U23 (loan) 2019–20 Serie C 170——3[lower-alpha 3]1201
Juventus 2019–20 Serie A 00———00
Al-Duhail 2019–20 Qatar Stars League 103222[lower-alpha 4]02[lower-alpha 5]0165
Career total 75154220618718
  1. Includes the Coppa Italia and the Emir of Qatar Cup
  2. Appearance(s) in the Serie B promotion play-offs
  3. Appearance(s) in the Coppa Italia Serie C
  4. Appearances in the AFC Champions League
  5. Appearance(s) in the Qatar Cup

International
As of match played 19 November 2019[41]
National team Year Apps Goals
North Korea 2017 2 0
2018 1 0
2019 7 1
Total 10 1
As of goal scored on 14 November 2019[41]
Scores and results list Han's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each North Korea goal.
List of international goals scored by Han Kwang-Song
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 14 November 2019 Köpetdag Stadium, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan  Turkmenistan 1–3 1–3 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification [36]

Honours

Al-Duhail

North Korea U16

References
  1. "Cagliari confirm signing of North Korean forward Han Kwang-Song". espnfc.com. 10 March 2017.
  2. "Kwang Song Han: The First North Korean To Score In Serie A". forzaitalianfootball.com. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  3. Campanale, Susan (10 April 2017). "Serie A Week 31: Did You Know?". Football Italia. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  4. "Official: Cagliari sign Han to 2022". Football Italia. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  5. Han Kwang-song at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  6. "N.Korean Forward Han Kwang-song Loaned to Perugia FC". Choson Ilbo. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  7. "Il primo nordcoreano a debuttare in Serie A". Il Nobile Calcio (in Italian). 15 September 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  8. "Serie B: Han trascina il Perugia". La Repubblica. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  9. "Han: 'Didn't expect Cagliari return' | Football Italia". www.football-italia.net. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  10. "Sprofondo rossoblù – SardegnaSport". 16 August 2018. Archived from the original on 16 August 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  11. "UFFICIALE: Perugia, torna il nordcoreano Han dal Cagliari". Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  12. "Calcio, Perugia i dolori del giovane Han". umbriaON (in Italian). 19 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  13. "Il Perugia torna alla vittoria: 3-0 all'Ascoli. Han si è sbloccato". corrieredellumbria.corr.it. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  14. "Tutti i movimenti di mercato dell'estate". Juventus.com. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  15. "UFFICIALE - Juventus U23, dal Cagliari arriva Han Kwang Song". Tutto C (in Italian). Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  16. "Verso Lecce-Juve: chi sono Han e Olivieri, le due sorprese di Sarri". Juventus News - Ultime Notizie Juve - il BiancoNero (in Italian). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  17. "Lecce-Juve, Han è nella storia del club". Juventus News - Ultime Notizie Juve - il BiancoNero (in Italian). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  18. "Calciomercato, la Juve fa un altra cessione: Kwang-Song Han raggiunge Mandzukic in Qatar". Calcio Fanpage (in Italian). Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  19. "Juve sell Kwang-Song Han to Al-Duhail | Football Italia". www.football-italia.net. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  20. Strada, Maria (29 September 2020). "Juventus-Han Kwang-Song, l'Onu: violate le sanzioni alla Corea del Nord per il nucleare". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  21. "Al Duhail Reaches Qatar Cup Final". Al Duhail Sports Club. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  22. "Al Duhail Loses To Al Sadd , And Loses Qatar Cup Title". Al Duhail Sports Club. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  23. "Al Arabi vs. Al Duhail - 24 January 2020 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  24. "Al Duhail Won Over Muaither And Reaches The Amir Cup Final Quarter-finals". Al Duhail Sports Club. 6 February 2020.
  25. "Al Duhail vs. Persepolis - 11 February 2020 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  26. "Al Duhail vs. Al Wakrah - 22 February 2020 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  27. Gineprini, Nicholas (24 August 2020). "AFC Weekly: Al Duhail di Benatia e Han campione di Qatar, Alino Diamanti decide la semifinale di A-League". All Asian Football (in Italian). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  28. 배영경 (27 January 2021). ""'북한 호날두' 한광성, 대북제재로 북한 복귀 결정"". 연합뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  29. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Qatar vs. North Korea (2:2)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  30. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Asian Cup (2019) | Qualification | Group Stage | Group B". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  31. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Asian Cup (2019) | Qualification | Group Stage | Group B". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  32. "Get to know the qualified nations for Asian Cup 2019 | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  33. "AC2019 Final Squads". www.the-afc.com. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  34. Monaghan, Matt. "2019 Asian Cup news: Juventus target Han Kwang-song has horror show in Saudi Arabia v North Korea report card - Sport360 News". sport360.com. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  35. "Lebanon v North Korea". The AFC. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  36. "Ex Grifo: il primo gol di Han con la maglia della Nazionale (VIDEO)". Calcio Grifo (in Italian). 16 November 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  37. "Kwang Song Han firma per il Cagliari". www.cagliaricalcio.com (in Italian). 10 March 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  38. Michał Wachowski (19 January 2021), "Ofiara koreańskiego reżimu. Piłkarz, na punkcie którego Kim Dzong Un ma obsesję", goal.pl (in Polish), onet.pl
  39. "Juventus violate United Nations sanctions with Han Kwang-Song sale". Kick Off. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  40. World, Republic. "Why is Han Kwang-Son banned by Kim Jong-Un from playing in EPL and taking interviews?". Republic World. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  41. Han Kwang-song at National-Football-Teams.com
  42. "Korea Republic v DPR Korea". The AFC. 20 September 2014. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
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