Cho Kwang-rae (Korean: 조광래, born March 19, 1954) is a former South Korean football midfielder and manager. He is the current director of Daegu FC.
International career
Cho was selected for the 1976 World University Football Championship in Uruguay. South Korea advanced to the final after defeating Brazil, Chile and the Netherlands. In the final against Paraguay, he won a crucial penalty and Paraguay forfeited the match after two players who did not accept the judgement were sent off for hitting the referee.
Cho played for the senior national team in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Cho contributed to South Korea's draw by providing an assist against Bulgaria, but he scored a fatal own goal in the last match that South Korea lost 3–2 to Italy.
In the 1986 Asian Games, Cho consecutively scored team's first goals in the semi-finals and the final. South Korea won a gold medal in the tournament and Cho selected the final match against Saudi Arabia as the best match in his international career.
Style of play
Nicknamed "The Computer" for his tactical acumen, Cho is regarded as one of the greatest South Korean midfielders ever.
Managerial career
Cho began his coaching career in the K League after his retirement, winning the league with the Anyang LG Cheetahs and turning a young Gyeongnam FC side, known as "Cho's Kindergarten", into title contenders.
Cho assumed the South Korean national team head coach position after the 2010 FIFA World Cup and Huh Jung-moo's resignation. He tried to implement a tiki-taka-esque style of play on the Korean squad, which backfired badly. After losing to Lebanon in a 2014 World Cup qualifier, Cho was sacked.
Career statistics
International
- Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
Honours
Player
Yonsei University
- Korean National Championship runner-up: 1974
ROK Army
- Korean Semi-professional League (Spring): 1980
- Korean President's Cup runner-up: 1980
Daewoo Royals
- K League 1: 1984, 1987
- Korean League Cup runner-up: 1986
- Asian Club Championship: 1985–86
South Korea B
- FISU World University Championships: 1976
South Korea
- Asian Games: 1978, 1986
- AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 1980
Individual
- Korean FA Best XI: 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986
- Korean FA Most Valuable Player: 1981
- K League 1 Best XI: 1983
- K League '80s All-Star Team: 2003
Manager
Anyang LG Cheetahs
- K League 1: 2000
- Korean League Cup runner-up: 1999
- Korean Super Cup: 2001
- Asian Club Championship runner-up: 2001–02
Gyeongnam FC
- Korean FA Cup runner-up: 2008
South Korea
- AFC Asian Cup third place: 2011
Individual
- K League 1 Manager of the Year: 2000
References
External links
- Cho Kwang-rae – K League stats at kleague.com (in Korean)
- Cho Kwang-rae – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Cho Kwang-rae at National-Football-Teams.com
