# Son Jun-ho (footballer)

Son Jun-ho (Korean: 손준호; born 12 May 1992) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for K League 2 club Chungnam Asan.

## Club career

After graduating from high school and Pohang Steelers academy, Son played for Yeungnam University in the U-League. In 2013, he was named the U-League Most Valuable Player by leading his university to a league title. The next year, he returned to Pohang Steelers, where he played as a youth player, and made his professional debut.
Before the start of the 2018 season, Son joined Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on a four-year contract. While playing for Jeonbuk, he won three consecutive K League 1 titles, and especially contributed to Jeonbuk's first-ever Double in 2020 when he was selected as the K League 1 Most Valuable Player.
On 13 January 2021, Son joined Chinese Super League club Shandong Taishan. He quickly showed large influence, leading Shandong to a league title in his first CSL season. He was regarded as the league's best player, but the award ceremony was not held at the end of the season.
On 15 May 2023, however, Son was reportedly investigated by public security authorities in Liaoning due to match-fixing allegations involving former Shandong Taishan manager Hao Wei. The following day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that he had been detained for a suspected bribery case.
After ten months of detention by Chinese authorities, Son was released and returned to South Korea on 25 March 2024. For about two months, he trained at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and played for fifth division club Gunyung FC. He was expected to join Jeonbuk, but the negotiation with the club broke down due to the suspicion. On 14 June, he joined another K League 1 club Suwon FC with the help of Choi Soon-ho, the director of Suwon and his former manager.
On 10 September, Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced that Son was banned from football-related activities in China for lifetime for involving in match-fixing. It also notified FIFA and Korea Football Association of the disciplinary action against him. The next day, he held a press conference to deny the verdict. He claimed that he made a false confession due to oppressive investigation and did not know why match fixer Jin Jingdao sent ¥200,000 to his account. On 13 September, Suwon FC terminated the contract with him and was criticised for wasting citizens' tax money.
On 24 January 2025, FIFA dismissed CFA's request due to lack of evidence and Son could continue his football career outside China. On 6 February, he joined K League 2 club Chungnam Asan.

## International career

Son would make his first senior appearance for South Korea in a friendlies match on 27 January 2018 against Moldova, where he came on as a substitute for Kim Sung-joon in a 1–0 victory.

## Style of play

Son usually played as a defensive midfielder, and was good at duel, interception, recovery, and long-distance pass.

## Career statistics

    As of 1 September 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Team | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Team | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Pohang Steelers | 2014 | K League 1 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 34 | 2 |
| Pohang Steelers | 2015 | K League 1 | 35 | 9 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 38 | 9 |
| Pohang Steelers | 2016 | K League 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 1 |
| Pohang Steelers | 2017 | K League 1 | 35 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 4 |
| Pohang Steelers | Total | Total | 99 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 2 | — | — | 115 | 16 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2018 | K League 1 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 39 | 6 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2019 | K League 1 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 5 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2020 | K League 1 | 25 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 3 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | Total | Total | 86 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 1 | — | — | 109 | 14 |
| Shandong Taishan | 2021 | Chinese Super League | 21 | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 4 |
| Shandong Taishan | 2022 | Chinese Super League | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 1 |
| Shandong Taishan | 2023 | Chinese Super League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Shandong Taishan | Total | Total | 46 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 5 |
| Suwon FC | 2024 | K League 1 | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 243 | 30 | 24 | 3 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 293 | 36 |
* 1 2 3 4 5 Appearances in AFC Champions League
* ↑ Appearance in Chinese Super Cup

## Honours

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
* K League 1: 2018, 2019, 2020
* Korean FA Cup: 2020
Shandong Taishan
* Chinese Super League: 2021
* Chinese FA Cup: 2021, 2022
South Korea U23
* Asian Games: 2014
South Korea
* EAFF Championship: 2019
Individual
* K League All-Star: 2015, 2017
* K League 1 top assist provider: 2017
* K League 1 Most Valuable Player: 2020
* K League 1 Best XI: 2020