# Cho Young-jeung

Cho Young-jeung (born 18 August 1954) is a South Korean former footballer who played as a defender. He won two Asian Games, and participated in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

## Club career

Cho was allowed to participate in tryouts for North American Soccer League (NASL) clubs by the Korea Football Association when the national team left for Los Angeles to train in February 1981. He joined Portland Timbers after having offers from four clubs. He played both football and indoor soccer for Portland Timbers, becoming the first Asian to play indoor soccer. In 1982, he made the cover of Kick, the official magazine of the NASL, and was selected for the first team of the NASL all-stars. He returned to his country after the K League was founded in 1983.
Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso was a newly-formed weak team in the K League when Cho joined it in 1984, and so he played as a forward or midfielder in unfamiliar positions if necessary. However, he scored nine goals in the 1984 season, and was selected as the Exemplary Award winner and one of the K League Best XI. He also scored in six consecutive games, becoming a record holder until Hwang Sun-hong broke the record in 1995.

## Style of play

Cho was considered as one of the best centre-backs in South Korea and the United States during the 1980s. He didn't have rapid pace and great stamina, but he was noted for his prediction, positional sense and team play. He also had a burly physique and so was skilled in tussle and tackle.

## Career statistics
### Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Korea First Bank | 1977 | Semipro League | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| ROK Navy (draft) | 1978 | Semipro League | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| ROK Navy (draft) | 1979 | Semipro League | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| ROK Navy (draft) | Total | Total | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Korea First Bank | 1980 | Semipro League | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Portland Timbers | 1981 | North American Soccer League | 25 | 2 | — | — | ? | ? | — | — | 25 | 2 |
| Portland Timbers | 1982 | North American Soccer League | 25 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | 2 |
| Portland Timbers | Total | Total | 50 | 3 | — | — | ? | ? | — | — | 50 | 3 |
| Portland Timbers (indoor) | 1981–82 | North American Soccer League | 15 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 5 |
| Chicago Sting (indoor) | 1982–83 | Major Indoor Soccer League | 39 | 6 | — | — | ? | ? | — | — | 39 | 6 |
| Chicago Sting | 1983 | North American Soccer League | 27 | 1 | — | — | ? | ? | — | — | 27 | 1 |
| Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso | 1984 | K League | 28 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | 9 |
| Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso | 1985 | K League | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 |
| Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso | 1986 | K League | 10 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | 12 | 4 |
| Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso | 1987 | K League | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 |
| Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso | Total | Total | 50 | 13 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | 52 | 14 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 181 | 28 | ? | ? | 2 | 1 | ? | ? | 183 | 29 |

### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| South Korea | 1975 | 19 | 0 |
| South Korea | 1976 | 7 | 0 |
| South Korea | 1977 | 26 | 1 |
| South Korea | 1978 | 14 | 0 |
| South Korea | 1979 | 5 | 0 |
| South Korea | 1980 | 17 | 0 |
| South Korea | 1981 | 4 | 0 |
| South Korea | 1984 | 5 | 0 |
| South Korea | 1985 | 8 | 0 |
| South Korea | 1986 | 8 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | 113 | 1 |
    Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Cho Young-jeung :
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 18 February 1977 | Manama, Bahrain | 28 | Bahrain | 3–0 | 4–1 | Friendly |

## Honours
### Player

ROK Navy
* Korean Semi-professional League (Spring): 1978
* Korean President's Cup: 1979
Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso
* K League 1: 1985
South Korea U20
* AFC Youth Championship third place: 1973, 1974
South Korea
* Asian Games: 1978, 1986
* AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 1980
* Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1987
Individual
* Korean FA Best XI: 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1986
* Korean FA Most Valuable Player: 1977
* NASL All-Star First Team: 1982; Second Team: 1983
* K League 1 Best XI: 1984, 1986

### Manager

LG Cheetahs
* Korean League Cup runner-up: 1994