By Gerry Maravilla

Park has only improved with age/photo credit: Associated Press

Since helping the South Korean National Team reach the semi-finals in the 2002 World Cup, midfielder Park Ji-Sung has risen to international stardom. Ji-Sung began his career playing for Kyoto Purple Sanga in Japan, but his performance and winning goal against Portugal in 2002 saw a transfer to the Dutch team PSC Eindhoven. Working under the former South Korea National Team coach Guss Hiddink, Ji-Sung excelled after working through a rough patch of injuries. Once he regained physical fitness, he quickly regained his winning form.

While at Eindhoven, Ji-Sung had a total of 64 appearances and scored 11 goals, impressive considering he acts primarily as a defensive midfielder. During his time in the Dutch league, Park became so beloved by the Eindhoven fans that they wrote a song about him entitled, “Song for Park.”

Ji-Sung’s outstanding performances on both the international and club scenes attracted the attention of the English Premier League and he signed a deal to join Manchester United in 2005. 2006 cemented Park as a South Korean starter following his equalizing goal against France in that year’s World Cup.  He has worn the Captain’s armband for both his club and home country and, contrary to the general rules of soccer, age has only helped Ji-Sung improve.

Currently the 28-year-old Ji-Sung has 137 appearances and 13 goals with Manchester United, with goal number 13 coming as recently as this past weekend.  Park has earned 84 caps with the senior Korean National Team and 11 international goals. It is without question that he will be an essential part of South Korea’s game in South Africa this year, but will Park Ji-Sung be enough to help South Korea make it out of Group B and earn his home nation a spot in the knockout stages? Considering that 2002 was the first time South Korea had ever made it out of the group-stages, there will be lots of eyes of the team and on Park Ji-Sung. Here’s hoping both rise to the occasion.

Tags: Eindhoven, Korea, Kyoto Purple Sanga, Manchester United, Park Ji-Sung, South Africa, World Cup 2010

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