[go: nahoru, domu]
Jump to content

Cha Bum-kun

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by DelayTone (talk | contribs) at 02:52, 15 February 2007. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This is a Korean name; the family name is Cha.
Cha Bum-kun
Personal information
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker/Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Retired
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:18, 10 February 2007 (UTC)

Template:Koreanname

Cha Bum-kun, the free-scoring Korean striker, is widely regarded as the best footballer ever to come out of Asia, and one of the best players the world has ever produced. He was selected as the "Asia's best player of the century" by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. Until the record broke in 1999 he held the most goals scored by a foreigner title in the Bundesliga.

The German fans couldn't pronounce his name well, so they simply called him "Cha Boom", resonating his thunderous ball striking ability.

Surprisingly, he was omitted from Pelé's FIFA 100, as there was only one slot for the Korea Republic.

Biography

Born on May 22, 1953 in Hwaseong in the Korean province of Gyeonggi, Cha began his soccer career with the Korean Air Force club in 1971, the same year he became a Korean U-19 international. By 1972 he had been capped by the Korean national team becoming the youngest player ever called up to the squad.

Off to Europe

Cha started his career in Bundesliga (considered the best league of the world at the time) at age of 27. In December of 1978, Cha was transferred to German side SV Darmstadt, where he spent less than a year before being snapped up by Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt. Cha made an immediate impact with his new club, winning the UEFA Cup in the 1979/80 season. After that season, He became the third-highest-paid soccer player in Germany. He then suffered a near-career-ending knee injury during 1981 season -- in a game against Leverkusen.

In 1983 he was transfered to Bayer Leverkusen. Then in the season of 1985/86 he was chosen as the Player of Year. With Bayer Levekusen, he won a second UEFA Cup in 1988. Cha scored a dramatic equalizer against Espanol to tie the game 3:3. 50,000 fans chanted "Cha Boom." Leverkusen eventually went on to win the game on penalties.

Cha retired in 1989 after a long Bundesliga career spanning 308 games in which he scored 98 goals (none from penalty kicks), then the highest for a foreign player in the league.

File:Chaboom2.jpg
Cha in the cover of Kicker magazine.

World Cup

Cha was part of the first Korea Republic team to appear at a FIFA World Cup finals, in Mexico in 1986, where they lost to Argentina and Italy but earned a draw against Bulgaria. Looking back, he recalled: "We didn't achieve our first win but the campaign was not disappointing as we played hard and well against the best teams in the world, including the eventual champions Argentina.

June 2 Argentina 3:1 South Korea June 5 Bulgaria 1:1 South Korea June 10 South Korea 2:3 Italy

Into management

Cha moved into management with K-League side Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i, coaching them from 1991-1994. His next appointment was in January 1997 as Korean national team coach and led the nation to the 1998 World Cup; however, a disastrous 5-0 defeat at the hands of The Netherlands in Korea's second group game got Cha fired. He later diverted blame onto the Korea Football Association for the bad performance, citing lack of bonuses and alleging pro soccer games in Korea were fixed. The KFA promptly slapped a five-year ban on him and he soon left the country with his wife.

After an 18-month spell coaching Shenzhen Ping'an in China, Cha took up a commentator position with MBC, but was tempted back into coaching when offered the Suwon Samsung Bluewings position at the end of 2003.

Cha achieved immediate success with Suwon by lifting the 2004 K-League championship, an achievement he ranked as even better than lifting the UEFA Cup as a player in 1988.

Family

Cha's son, Cha Du-Ri, is following in his father's footsteps. He plays for Mainz 05 and is a regular Korean international.

Memorable moments and quotes

File:Chaboom1.jpg
Cha playing in Bundesliga.
  • At the 1977 Park's Cup. Cha scored 3 goals in 7 minutes when South Korea was down 1:4 to Malaysia.
  • Cha transfers from Darmstadt to Frankfurt in August 1979. Bundesliga was the strongest league in the world at the time and at a game against Dortmund, Cha starts the game and assists a goal. Voted as the weekly best-11 by the most prestigious football magazine at the time, KICKER.
  • 3rd game: Against Stuttgart. Scores a match-winning header and gets voted as the goal of the week.
  • 4th game: Against Munich, Cha scores another goal.
  • 5th game: Against Borussia MG, Cha scores another goal. Magazine KICKER first uses the term "Cha Boom." Boom was an onomatopoeia of Cha's striking scoring ability. (He was also called the "brown bomber.")
  • Against Hamburg, Cha scores a his first hat-trick.
  • One of Korea's major sports newspapers, Ilgan Sports treats Cha's news as top news by now. MBC starts showing Cha's taped games.
  • First UEFA Cup tournament for Cha after 4 months in Europe.
  • March 1980, UEFA Cup finals. First game against Borussia MG. 20 year old Matthaus later nicknamed the "German soul" (as well as an MVP of WC'90) marks Cha Boom. "Mark Cha Boom!!" was the headline for many newspapers. Matthaus successfully marks Cha Boom.
  • UEFA Cup finals second game. Matthaus again marks Cha Boom but this time unsuccessfully. Cha assists a goal and wins the Man of the Match match award. Frankfurt wins the UEFA Cup for the first time in its history.
  • Matthäus' interview after the game: "I am young. Cha is the best attacker in the world."
  • The 7th top scorer in the 79/80 season. Ranked 4th in the World's most improved player. Also voted as one of the World's best-11. Earns the third largest salary in the Bundesliga.
  • The German FA tries to naturalize Cha but it fails to the joy of South Koreans.
  • Cha makes the front page of the magazine Kicker's new year edition.
  • In 1981 Cha suffers a serious injury through a tackle by Gelsdoff at a game against Leverkusen. Frankfurt fans traveled to Leverkusen and starts a riot threatening to kill Gelsdoff. Police arrives to stop the riot.
  • Ironically he was transferred to Leverskusen in 1983. Frankfurt fans protested in agony.
  • Cha ranks 4th in scoring at the end of 85~86 season. At age 32, Cha gets picked by the Korean National Team one month before the World Cup and goes to WC86.
  • Another UEFA Cup finals for Cha in 1988. Cha scores a dramatic equalizer against Espanol to tie the game 3:3. 50,000 fans chant "Cha Boom." Leverkusen wins at PK shootout and wins the UEFA Cup.
  • One of the headlines of the newspapers: "Best player on earth: Cha Boom."
  • KICKER magazine: "Cha Boom, brings first ever UEFA Cups to two different teams. Hero of both Frankfurt and Leverkusen as well as the biggest star in the Bundesliga."
  • Cha sets two records in Bundesliga.

1. Most games played by a foreigner.

2. Most goals scored by a foreigner.

Cha played 308 games and scored 98 goals while he played 10 years at Bundesglia.

(note: Cha's most goals scored by a foreigner was broken by Stéphane Chapuisat in 1999 with 106 goals.)

File:Chaboom6.jpg
Cha was a fierce competitor and among the world's best. Here in the Uefa-Cup-finals 1980 with Borussia Mönchengladbach´s Lothar Matthäus (right)

Trivia

Honours

Eintracht Frankfurt

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Korea Republic

Other

He was voted Asia's best Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics in 1999.

See also

Preceded by South Korean national football team managers
1997-1998 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cha_Bum-kun&oldid=108239469"