"Please keep an eye on the sky"... Yoo Sang-chul Becomes a Star
"Please keep an eye on the sky"... Yoo Sang-chul Becomes a Star
Blog Article
On June 7, 2021, the big star of Korean soccer has died. Former Incheon United coach Yoo Sang-chul died after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 49.
Yoo Sang-chul, dubbed the "yubi" and "hero of the 2002 World Cup," was loved for his gentle and friendly smile. However, he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in November 2019 and became a star in the sky after battling the disease for a year and eight months.
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Yoo Sang-chul, a resourceful player on the ground... a child of national fighting spirit and fighting spirit
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Born in Seoul in 1971, Yoo made his professional debut in the K-League Ulsan Hyundai (now Ulsan HD) in 1994. The reason why Yoo was nicknamed "Yubi" was his gentle and meticulous personality as a strategist on the ground and strong leadership in contrast. At that time, Yoo was considered the best all-around utility player in the history of Korean soccer just a few years after his debut.
Yoo Sang-chul also shone as a member of the Korean national team. At the 2001 Confederation Cup Korea-Mexico match, he scored a heading goal with a broken nose, spearheading the team's victory. At the time, he showed strong commitment to play despite coach staff's objection, and ultimately scored a goal.
Notably, Yoo scored a decisive goal in the eighth minute of the second half at the match against Poland, the first match of the 2002 World Cup Korea-Japan. The goal brought about the first World Cup victory in Korean soccer history, and Yoo was named one of the top 11 players of the 2002 World Cup Korea-Japan along with Hong Myung-bo. He is the only two Asian players.
Yoo Sang-cheol retired as a coach in 2006. He worked as a coach for KBS 2TV's "Flying Shootdol" and the soccer team of Chuncheon Technical High School. In 2019, he was appointed as the coach of Incheon United.
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"If I'm given a healthy week, I'd like to see Kangin play."
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Yoo was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer just five months after his inauguration. Nevertheless, he completed his coaching career until the end of the season with a sense of responsibility and led Incheon to a dramatic stay in the top division, before letting go of the baton. Yoo promised to "come back" but his condition worsened dramatically and he passed away.
On his death, the FIFA World Cup expressed their condolences on his official SNS, saying that once a World Cup hero is a World Cup hero forever. Not only soccer but also politics and entertainment circles continued to mourn his death.
In particular, the memorial of Lee Kang-in, a soccer player who formed a relationship with a coach as a student in "Fly Shootdori," broke many people's hearts. Yoo Sang-chul discovered Lee Kang-in's genius through the program and advised him to advance to Spain. Asked what he would like to do if he could spend a week healthy during his illness, he said, "I want to see Kang-in play in person." 안전놀이터
Lee Kang-in paid tribute, saying, "I am so sad that you passed away before I could repay you. I think becoming a better player in the future is the greatest joy I can give the coach. Please watch where you are now."