'Big' Jung Woo-young is back — who is Korea's veteran defensive midfielder?

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'Big' Jung Woo-young is back — who is Korea's veteran defensive midfielder?

Published: 21 Jun. 2024, 14:03 Updated: 21 Jun. 2024, 14:12

PAIK JI-HWAN
paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr

Korea's Jung Woo-young, right, in action during a 2026 World Cup qualifier agaisnt China at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on June 11. [YONHAP]

Veteran defensive midfielder Jung Woo-young returned to the Korean national team earlier this month at the age of 34 after being sidelined for a year during the short-lived Jurgen Klinsmann era.

Jung — affectionately known as "Big Jung Woo-young in Korea" to differentiate him from VfB Stuttgart midfielder "Small Jeong Woo-yeong" (the names are the same in Korea — appeared in both of Korea's recent 2026 World Cup qualifiers. His contribution was especially obvious during the game against China on June 11, when the numbers show he had 97 percent pass accuracy and won four of six aerial duals.

Those numbers suggest that the Al-Khaleej FC midfielder was not excluded from the roster during Klinsmann’s stint because he is no longer at the national team level. If anything, the stoic midfielder has more to offer — assuming he's paired with a manager that sees the need for experience at the back of the midfield.

But what kind of player is Jung, and is his return to the national team likely to be permanent?

Classic defensive midfielder

Jung has played as a defensive midfielder — or occasionally as a center-back — since making his pro debut with then-J2 League side Kyoto Sanga FC in 2011.

Shortly after his pro debut, he won a bronze medal with the U-23 national team at the 2012 London Olympics, earning a military service exemption.

The Korean U-23 national team celebrate after winning a third-place match at the London Olympics against Japan at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on Aug. 10, 2012. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Following two successful seasons with Kyoto, he spent a one-season loan with then-J1 League team Jubilo Iwata in 2013, before transferring to fellow J1 League team Vissel Kobe ahead of the 2014 campaign.

That is where he rose to prominence, playing as a key midfielder and going on to captain the team in 2015 as the first foreign captain in Kobe history and first Korean player to do so at a J League club in 15 years.

His notable form at Kobe also earned him his first senior cap in 2015. He continued to play as a regular pick for the Taeguk Warriors, and is now the joint third most-capped player on the national team with 74 caps, behind only Lee Jae-sung with 88 and Son Heung-min with 127.

Jung moved to the Middle East in 2018 and has become one of the most prominent Korean players ever to player in the region. He was a key part of Qatari team Al Sadd SC for five years and has played for Saudi Arabian side Al-Khaleej since joining the club last year.

Korea's Jung Woo-young, center, vies for the ball with Brazil's Vinicius Junior during the round of 16 match of the 2022 World Cup at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar on Dec. 6, 2022. [NEWS1]

His consistency and longevity in the Middle East allowed him to secure his spot on the final national team roster for the 2018 World Cup, 2019 Asian Cup and 2022 World Cup, but it disappeared immediately after Klinsmann took the helm in February last year.

Playing style

Standing at 1.86 meters (6 foot 1), Jung is an aggressive defensive mid that frequently puts himself on the line to interrupt attacks. Like his national team teammates Kim Min-jae and Hwang Hee-chan, Jung does not shy away from confrontation and will often walk away from matches with his name in the book. But he's also reliable on the offensive, connecting between the defense and attack with a good long pass in his arsenal.

His accurate long shots have allowed him to be a free kick taker at some clubs, although that role in the national team has mostly gone to Korea captain Son Heung-min and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in.

Korea's Jung Woo-young shoots during a 2026 World Cup qualifier against China at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on June 11. [NEWS1]

While Jung is often involved in the build-up, he struggles to counter pressure. When dealing with a pressing defense, he tends to pass the ball back which can disrupt the flow of a build-up and slow down a counterattack.

Still going strong

Jung's performance in the qualifier against China proves that he can still compete on the international stage, but his age and a growing crop of younger midfielders might be obstacles that need to be overcome in order to protect his Taeguk mark.

Fellow defensive midfielder Son Jun-ho, who recently joined K League 1 team Suwon FC after being released from detention in China and spending a short stint with K5 club Kunyoong FC, has filled Jung's role in the past.

Korea's Son Jun-ho tackles Uruguay's Federico Valverde during a 2022 World Cup group stage match at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar on Nov. 25, 2022. [YONHAP]

Son, 32, also played at the 2022 World Cup and has 20 caps under his belt, although he has yet to return to national team action since playing in a friendly against Uruguay in March last year. He is also not that much younger than Jung, making him an unlikely successor.

During the Asian Cup last year, Klinsmann opted for Park Yong-woo from Emirati club Al Ain. But with just 15 caps under his belt, the 30-year-old seems unlikely to challenge Jung for the role.

Jung is far more experienced with 75 caps, many of those against the kind of higher-ranked opponents that Korea is likely to face on the road to the World Cup.

Ultimately, it will all come down to the interests of the new national team manager. The KFA is still in the process of filling that role after missing its self-imposed deadline back in May.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]