Jung Sung-ryong

At 39 years old, Jung Sung-ryong has this physical status:

Jung Sung-ryong (born 4 January 1985) is a South Korean football goalkeeper, who currently plays for Kawasaki Frontale.

Early life

Jung was born in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, and grew up in Gwangju. Jung began playing football when his father gave him a football in the second grade of elementary school. When Jung was in the fifth grade, his school's football club was founded, and he started his football career. Initially playing as a sweeper, he switched his role to goalkeeper in the middle school.

Jung joined Seogwipo High School in Seogwipo, Jeju, after graduating from Gwangju Middle School. In the high school tournament of the 2002 Korean National Sports Festival, he played for Jeju's provincial team, and won the title.

Personal life

Jung has one sister, who is one year older than him. When he was fifteen year old, his father passed away at age 59 and said his father's death affected him. In December 2008, Jung married Lim Ji-jeong, Gyeongnam's winner in the Miss Korea 2006. The couple have two sons and two daughters. Upon moving to Japan, Jung began settling in the country with his family and learning the Japanese language.

Jung has a tattoo on his left wrist that said: "1 means my pride as a goalkeeper and my sense of responsibility as a keeper. It is meant to be."

Jung is a Christian.

In July 2010, Jung appeared in the SBS variety show Running Man.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jung donated 30 million won (about 3 million yen) to "International Relief Development NGO Good Neighbors" to support children in vulnerable groups and low-income families who are experiencing difficulties with the pandemic.

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Club career

Jung signed his first professional deal with Pohang Steelers in January 2003. He struggled to make any appearances for the club's senior team during the first three years in Pohang due to being an understudy to first-choice goalkeeper Kim Byung-ji. Jung had considered military service as a result of Kim's existence, but reserve team coach Park Tae-ha said he would not get his chance.

Jung began competing with Shin Hwa-yong for the role as a starter after Kim left Pohang. In a 1–0 victory over Gyeongnam FC on April 22, he made his senior debut and maintained his first clean sheet. Since making his debut on his debut, he finally began to play for the first team. Jung conceded 27 goals in 26 appearances in the 2006 K League (including the 2006 Korean League Cup), while Shin conceded 21 goals in 13 appearances.

Pohang preferred Shin to Jung in the 2007 regular season, although he had to commit to the national under-23 team. Nevertheless, Pohang still trusted Jung with their goalpost in the K League Championship and the Korean FA Cup. He aided his team win the K League title and advanced to the FA Cup Final.

After Kim Yong-dae enlisted in Gwangju Sangmu, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma scouted Jung to replace Kim, Seongnam Chunma sent him in February 2008. Jung tried to work with Pohang, but the club had a year remaining on his deal.

Jung was Seongnam's first-choice goalkeeper. Seongnam admitted to the least goals in the 2008 regular season due to his immediate effect.

After Kim returned from Sangmu in 2009, he retained his position as a starter. He made his appearance as a player in the 2009 K League Championship by switching his role to an outfielder right before the penalty shoot-out. He missed Seongnam's third shot in the shoot-out, but the team still won the game.

He played all twelve matches from the group stage to the final and kept five clean sheets while contributing to winning the 2010 AFC Champions League title. He appeared in the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup for the second time.

Jung had joined Suwon Samsung Bluewings on a five-year contract for undisclosed fees as a result of the announcement on January 28th. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors was also interested in the Suwon project, but he preferred Suwon.

In the 2011 Korean FA Cup Final, Jung played for his old club Seongnam and lost to them.

In the 2011 AFC Champions League semi-finals against Al-Sadd, Jung suffered an uncomfortable loss. Due to an injured player during the game, the action was called to Jung and the ball was returned to play after the game was called off. Mamadou Niang, the Al-Sadd striker, fortunately intercepted the ball in front of Jung and scored the discourteous goal. Jung kept a clean sheet in the second leg, but Suwon lost 2–1 on aggregate due to the tense goal.

Jung couldn't play for Suwon for two months while playing for the national under-23 team in the 2012 Summer Olympics. He was nominated for the K League FANtastic Player award following the 2012 season, but he lost to Dejan Damjanovi.

On the 10th of November, Jung made a mistake that badly damaged his image in a K League match against Pohang. He blocked an opponent's shot but then smashed the ball into the net with his hand after losing his balance. He had been chastised for his redolent of the slam dunk.

Jung led his team to finish runners-up in the 2014 K League 1. In the 30th round, he was named Suwon's Player of the Month for April and K League Player of the Week for the Week. Jung was interested in the middle of the season, including Queens Park Rangers, Fulham, and Celtic, but he refused to leave for Europe.

He had trouble attending all of Suwon's games due to his knee injury, and second-choice goalkeeper No Dong-geon had a great deal of opportunities in 2015.

Jung will join Kawasaki Frontale in J1 League on February 2nd, 2015, according to the team's announcement on December 24th.

Jung kept a clean sheet in his first J1 League match, but he scored an own goal after missing his ball due to a collision with opponent striker Thiago Quirino in the next match against Shonan Bellmare. After the accident wasn't identified as Quirino's fault, Jung lost focus. He gave up three more goals, and Kawasaki defeated Shonan 4–4. Jung returned to action in an Emperor's Cup match against Urawa Red Diamonds on November 12th after suffering a knee injury in mid-September 2016. After a 3–3 draw with Urawa, Kawasaki helped Kawasaki advance to the next round, he blocked Zlatan Ljubijanki's shot in the penalty shoot-out. They finished runners-up in the 2016 J1 League and the 2016 Emperor's Cup in Kawasaki, in his first season with Kawasaki.

Jung was chosen as Kawasaki's vice-captain ahead of his second season in Japan. Shin Hwa-yong's first match of the 2017 season was a Champions League match against his former club Suwon and his old rival Shin Hwa-yong. After losing his teammate's own goal, the match came to a 1-1 draw. In an away match, he encountered Suwon and Shin and thrashed them by keeping a clean sheet. On a J1 League match against Ventforet Kofu on April 8, 2017, he captained the team for the first time. Kawasaki claimed their first-ever J1 League title this season.

Jung was given a red card for the first time in his career after losing 2–0 to Urawa on May 2nd, 2018. Tatsuki Nara wore gloves for the remainder of the game after Jung was suspended for a foul on opponent forward Andrew Nabbout in the 70th minute because Kawasaki already had three replacements. Despite losing their second straight title, Kawasaki conceded to the least goals in the 2018 J1 League due to Jung's results. In 2018, he was selected for the J.League Best XI.

He kept a clean sheet in the 2019 Japanese Super Cup, leading his team to a 1–0 victory over Urawa. During the first two months of the 2019 season, Jung lost his position to Shota Arai.

Jung signed a Kawasaki contract extension ahead of the 2020 season, but his situation was uncertain last season. They repaid their faith by winning their third J1 League title and the first Emperor's Cup trophy. He was once more selected for the J.League Best XI.

Jung was rated as a masterclass goalkeeper by the opponents' website after a pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain on July 20, 2022, but his team lost 2–1.

International career

Jung was named to the South Korea national football team for the first time in July 2006. He was also selected for the national team for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, but he remained on the bench throughout the tournament. In a 1–0 friendly loss to Chile on January 30, 2008, he made his senior international debut.

Jung said he only scored three goals in ten qualifiers of the 2008 Summer Olympics, leading South Korea to qualify for the tournament. Tim Howard scored 85 points (93 yards) in an under-23 friendly against the Ivory Coast on July 27, 2008, just before the Olympics, the world record was broken until Everton goal Tim Howard scored 93 meters (101-yard) goals in the 2011–12 Premier League. Jung completed all three games in the Olympics, but South Korea was disqualified in the group competition.

Before the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Jung became Lee Woon-jae's replacement. He conceded only one goal and received praise for his efforts in a friendly against Spain right before the World Cup.

In his first World Cup match against Greece, Jung kept a clean sheet, but the intense sunlight ruined him. In the upcoming match against Argentina, he conceded four goals, including his teammate's own goal, but he was lauded for blocking eight shots from Argentina players.

However, his stumble against Uruguay in the round of 16 brought tears to his eyes. After his mistaken forecast of a cross from Diego Forlán, he went out of the goalpost and failed to intercept the ball. Luis Suárez kicked the ball into the empty goal, and he could only watch. South Korea lost 2–1 after Suárez scored another goal. However, fans also voted South Korea's MVP in the World Cup, alongside Lee Chung-yong and Park Ji-sung.

In the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Jung participated in all six of South Korea's matches. Jung saved a penalty from Keisuke Honda in the semi-final match against Japan, but Hajime Hosogai, who stepped into the penalty area before Honda kicked the penalty, scored a controversial goal. After drawing 2–2 due to the misfortune, South Korea was forced to have the penalty shoot-out. Jung failed to save all three of Japan's shots in the shoot-out, and South Korea lost 3–0. South Korea finished third in the third place match after defeating Uzbekistan.

Jung was selected as an over-age participant for South Korea's under-23 team for the 2012 Summer Olympics. In the quarter-finals, South Korea defeated Great Britain after Jung conceded just one goal in three group matches. Aaron Ramsey had two penalty chances in the first half, but Jung blocked one of the two. However, Jung was hurt in a collision with Micah Richards in the middle of the second half, and Lee Bum-young replaced him. In the semi-final loss to Brazil, Lee conceded three goals, while Jung was forced to withdraw from the team due to a shoulder injury. Jung was compelled to participate in the bronze medal match against Japan while also keeping a clean sheet. During the tournament, he conceded two goals in five games, playing a vital role in Korean football's first-ever Olympic medal.

Jung participated in all qualifiers of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but after South Korea qualified for the tournament, he had to face Kim Seung-gyu. Despite his cramming of friends right before the World Cup, Hong Myung-bo who used Jung in the 2012 Summer Olympics has praised him once more.

In South Korea's first match, Jung saved nine of Russia's ten shots on target, gaining a following in the media. However, he conceded four goals in the upcoming match against Algeria, and was chastised for his poor results. In the last game against Belgium, Kim was replaced by Kim, and South Korea was disqualified in the group stage.

Jung was named in the national team for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup but he was unable to participate in any match in the Asian Cup after the 2014 World Cup.

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