Choi Soon-ho (Korean: 최순호; Hanja: 崔淳鎬; born 10 January 1962) is a South Korean football manager and former player.

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Choi Soon-ho

Choi in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Choi Soon-ho
Date of birth	(1962-01-10) 10 January 1962 (age 62)
Place of birth	Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Striker, attacking midfielder
Youth career
	Cheongju Commercial High School
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1983[1]	Kwangwoon University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1980–1987	POSCO Atoms	55	(21)
1988–1990	Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso	28	(2)
1991	POSCO Atoms	16	(0)
1992–1993	Rodez	18	(2)
Total		117	(25)
International career
1979–1981	South Korea U20	10	(6)
1980–1991	South Korea	103	(30)
Managerial career
2000–2004	Pohang Steelers
2006–2008	Hyundai Mipo Dockyard
2009–2011	Gangwon FC
2016–2019	Pohang Steelers
Medal record Representing  South Korea Men's football Asian Games 1986 Seoul Team 1990 Beijing Team AFC Asian Cup 1980 Kuwait Team AFC Youth Championship 1980 Thailand Team[2]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Close

Choi was named in South Korean squad for the 1980 AFC Asian Cup. He scored seven goals including two goals against Kuwait, and a hat-trick against United Arab Emirates in the group stage. South Korea met Kuwait again in the final, but they lost this time. Choi became the youngest ever player to be the top scorer in the AFC Asian Cup at age 18.

In 1981, he led South Korean under-20 team to the 1980 AFC Youth Championship title by scoring four goals. He also played FIFA World Youth Championship matches as the Asian champion in the same year. He defeated Italy 4–1 in the first game by having two goals and two assists.^[3] However, South Korea was eliminated in the group stage after losing to Romania and Brazil.

Choi was selected for the South Korean squad for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He contributed to more than half of the team's 17 goals by having one goal and eight assists in eight games of the qualification.^[3] He scored a goal outside the penalty area in a group match against Italy.^[4] He finally provided two assists as well as scoring a goal in the World Cup, proving his abilities outside Asia.

Serie A club Juventus was interested in Choi after the World Youth Championship. Its interest lasted until the end of the 1986 World Cup, but his team POSCO consistently rejected its offer.^[5][6]

Regarded as one of the most technically gifted forwards in South Korea, Choi was proficient at controlling the ball with various skills including shot, dribble, touch, and pass. He also showed good speed, wide vision and supple body, having hardly any weak point. He normally played as a striker, but he could also play as an attacking midfielder to create chances.^[3][5]