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Lee Dong-Gook (Hangul: 이동국) (born 29 April 1979) is a South Korean association footballstriker who currently plays for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. He is the record scorer in the K-League, and had brief spells in Europe with Werder Bremen and Middlesbrough.
Lee has earned 99 international caps for South Korea since 1998, scoring 30 goals. He has played at two FIFA World Cups, two CONCACAF Gold Cups, two AFC Asian Cups and the 2000 Olympics.
Club career
Early career
Lee started playing football for Pohang Steelers, where due to his outstanding performance in his first season, he managed to make his debut for the South Korean national team. He was then sent on loan to Werder Bremen of Germany's Bundesliga.
During six months at Werder Bremen in 2001, Lee's playing time was limited partly due to injuries.
Lee left the Steelers in 2002 to perform his military service, joining the military team Gwangju Sangmu Bulsajo. He spent two seasons there. His career recovered after he returned to Pohang in 2004.
In April 2006, Lee tore the cruciate ligaments in his knee while playing in a K-League match for thePohang Steelers that forced him out for six months, and was unable to play in the World Cup.[1]
Middlesbrough
In January 2007, after being granted a work permit, Lee signed for English Premier League clubMiddlesbrough on an 18-month contract.[2] He made his debut on 24 February, coming on as an 85th minute substitute for Yakubu in the 2-1 win against Reading.[3] He scored his first goal on 29 August 2007 in a League Cup match against Northampton Town,[4] and his second in the FA Cup against Mansfield Town on 26 January 2008.[5] His contract expired at the end of the 2008 Premier League season and Middlesbrough were not looking forward to extend his contract. He received offers from clubs in Japan and Germany.[6]
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
Lee signed a contract with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in 2008. However, he was unsuccessful, and was linked another move to several K-League and J. League clubs.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Lee was transferred to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the 2009 transfer window. He scored a brace in his debut for Jeonbuk on 15 March 2009 against Daegu FC. Lee completed his second senior hat-trick on 2 May 2009 against Jeju United. On 4 July, he scored his second hat-trick of the season against Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix. He eventually became the K-League Top Scorer in 2009 K-League, scoring 20 goals in 27 league matches. He also scored one goal in the second leg of final in K-League Championship, and Jeonbuk beat Seongnam Ilhwa by 3–1 to win the first league trophy in their history.
Lee became the K-League's all-time leading scorer with 117 goals when he got two goals in the 2012 season opener against Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma on 3 March 2012.[7]
International career
Lee was a member of the South Korea national football team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He also took part in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup and finished top scorer with six goals.
In 2002, Lee was not chosen by Guus Hiddink to represent South Korea in 2002 World Cup. Fans called him "Lazy Genius," because they felt that he did not fully use his potential. This is also because Hiddink emphasized strong stamina, great power, and agile speed, which are the categories that Lee struggles in, except power.[8][9] He later admitted that he spent his days drinking and did not watch a single game that took place during the 2002 World Cup.[10]
Lee was coach Dick Advocaat's first-choice selection at forward for Korea ahead of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but a knee injury suffered in a K-League match forced him to miss the tournament.[1]
On 1 November 2007 Lee was banned from the national team for twelve months after it was revealed that he, along with team captain Lee Woon-Jae, teammates Kim Sang-Sik and Woo Sung-Yong, went on a late night drinking spree with several female employees during the Asian Cup, in which Korea received third place.[11]
Unlike the other members who were involved in this incident, because Lee played for Middlesbrough in England, the KFA could not ban him from his club team matches.[12]
Lee was listed onto the South Korea national football team line up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He came on as a substitute in a game against Uruguay.
