 Lee withVancouver Whitecaps FC in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lee Young-pyo | ||
| Date of birth | (1977-04-23)23 April 1977 (age 47) | ||
| Place of birth | Hongcheon,Gangwon, South Korea | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–1992 | Anyang Middle School | ||
| 1993–1995 | Anyang Technical High School [ko] | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–2000 | Konkuk University [ko] | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2002 | Anyang LG Cheetahs | 60 | (3) |
| 2003–2005 | PSV Eindhoven | 81 | (1) |
| 2005–2008 | Tottenham Hotspur | 70 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Borussia Dortmund | 18 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Al-Hilal | 46 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 65 | (1) |
| Total | 340 | (5) | |
| International career | |||
| 1999–2002 | South Korea U23 | 23[α] | (1) |
| 1999–2011 | South Korea | 127 | (5) |
Medal record | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
| Lee Young-pyo | |
| Hangul | 이영표 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 李榮杓 |
| Revised Romanization | I Yeong-pyo |
| McCune–Reischauer | I Yŏngp'yo |
Lee Young-pyo (Korean:이영표;Korean pronunciation:[i.jʌŋ.pʰjo]; born 23 April 1977) is a South Korean former professionalfootballer who played as a right-footedleft back. Lee was recognized for his speed anddribbling skills. His former managerMartin Jol once called him "the best left back in Holland".[2][3]
Prior to playing forPSV Eindhoven andTottenham Hotspur, Lee started his professional career atFC Seoul, then known as Anyang LG Cheetahs in the KoreanK League and then spent two years with PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands, earning high acclaim from PSV CoachGuus Hiddink, who had previously coached Lee andSouth Korea during the2002 World Cup. Recognized as the best left-back in the Netherlands after the 2004–05 season, Tottenham signed him amidst heavy competition with severalSerie A clubs. He transferred to Tottenham in August 2005.
On 19 November 2008, Lee became the seventh Korean player to earn 100 caps in aWorld Cup qualifier againstSaudi Arabia. During the2011 AFC Asian Cup, Lee captained the national team twice after the substitutions of the regular Korean captain,Park Ji-sung.
On January 1, 2021, he began his 2-year stint as the CEO of the first tier K League football teamGangwon FC.
Lee graduated fromKonkuk University inSeoul, and began his professional career in aK League clubAnyang LG Cheetahs, currently FC Seoul. He contributed to Anyang's K League title in2000. His team also advanced to theAsian Club Championship final in the2001–02 season, but failed to bring the title againstSuwon Samsung Bluewings, another South Korean club. An impressive player in the league, Lee could play for theSouth Korean national team in the2002 FIFA World Cup. He assisted South Korea's winning goals againstPortugal andItaly with crosses. He followedGuus Hiddink and teammatePark Ji-sung intoPSV Eindhoven after finishing the World Cup in fourth place.
At PSV, Lee flourished under Hiddink's guidance and soon established himself in PSV's first team. Known for his endurance, technique, and ability in both defence and attack, Lee was widely regarded as the best left-back in the DutchEredivisie. Lee and his compatriot Park were instrumental in PSV Eindhoven's run to the2005 UEFA Champions League semi-final, although, to their disappointment, they were knocked out byMilan. Despite PSV's persistent attempts to keep him, Lee moved to the English clubTottenham Hotspur in August 2005. During his PSV career, Lee scored 1 goal and assisted 13 goals.
At Tottenham, Lee was an immediate hit and earned a spot on thePremier League's best eleven in his debut week. Tottenham coachMartin Jol, at the time of his signing on 31 August 2005, touted him as "the best left-back in Holland."[2][3] His form did however fluctuate in the 2005–06 season, despite being almost ever present in a defence which conceded the fourth lowest number of goals in that season.
In the beginning of 2006–07 season, Lee moved to right full-back due toBenoît Assou-Ekotto's impressive pre-season performance and an injury to regular right-backPaul Stalteri. Lee then faced increased competition when Tottenham signed French defenderPascal Chimbonda on the final day of the transfer period. Lee also suffered a knee injury and in August 2006, Tottenham offered his rights toRoma of Italy's Serie A, but he backed out at the last minute for "personal reasons". An Italian media report said religion played a part in his decision to reject the transfer offer. On 31 August 2006, Lee held a press conference in Korea and denied that religion was a factor in his decision. He said that moving to Roma would have been great for him in terms of football alone but he decided against it for personal reasons that he would not reveal, despite being pressed for answers by 50 attending reporters.[4]
Lee regained his place in the first team when Assou-Ekotto's form began to falter, most notably in a very poor performance against arch-rivalsArsenal. Lee came on as a half-time substitute in that match and was a notable improvement, and was again preferred by Jol for the starting eleven, until a season-ending knee injury sustained in aUEFA Cup Quarterfinal match againstSevilla on 5 April.[5]
On 9 August 2007, Tottenham manager Martin Jol announced that Lee would be "fit for selection" in "one or two weeks".[6] On 18 August 2007, Lee made his first start of the season againstDerby County.[7] He continued to play regularly for Tottenham in the 2007–08 season, along with League Cup appearances againstBlackpool,Manchester City andArsenal. He missed the final but earned a medal for his contributions.[8]
On 27 August 2008, Lee transferred to aBundesliga clubBorussia Dortmund for an undisclosed fee.[9] He consistently made appearances early in the season, andBorussia Dortmund announced that the period of Lee's contract was extended to two years in December.[10] However, he was benched after the vice-captainDedé recovered from his injury.
On 10 July 2009, Lee left for a Saudi Arabian clubAl-Hilal.[11] Known to be a devout Christian,[12] he decided to go to Saudi Arabia after hearing the word of God, although he didn't want to go there. He couldn't understand the will of God, but enjoyed his new life with Muslims. He told this interesting anecdote in his lecture after retirement.[13]
Lee officially signed with Vancouver on 6 December 2011.[14] He scored his firstMLS goal for Vancouver on 28 April 2012 off a free kick against theColumbus Crew. Lee was a crucial part to Vancouver's2012 season and was played as a right back. He was considered one of their best players on the team that year. Lee was awarded with Vancouver's 2012 Player of the Year on 21 October 2012 after helping the team become the first Canadian team to reach theMLS Cup Playoffs.[15]
He played his final professional game on 27 October 2013 in Vancouver in 3–0 win against theColorado Rapids. After scoring the first and eventual game-winning goal, 2013MLS Golden Boot-winnerCamilo Sanvezzo presented Lee with the ball during the goal celebration.[16]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Anyang LG Cheetahs | 2000 | K League | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| 2001 | K League | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| 2002 | K League | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |
| Total | 60 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 81 | 3 | ||
| PSV Eindhoven | 2002–03 | Eredivisie | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | Eredivisie | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | 46 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Eredivisie | 31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | 49 | 1 | ||
| 2005–06 | Eredivisie | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 81 | 1 | 8 | 0 | — | 26 | 0 | 115 | 1 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2005–06 | Premier League | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 0 | |
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 93 | 0 | ||
| Borussia Dortmund | 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| Al-Hilal | 2009–10 | Saudi Pro League | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 36 | 1 |
| 2010–11 | Saudi Pro League | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| Total | 46 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 64 | 1 | ||
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2012 | Major League Soccer | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 1 | ||
| 2013 | Major League Soccer | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 | |||
| Total | 65 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 69 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 340 | 5 | 27 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 57 | 1 | 444 | 6 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 1999 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 | 20 | 3 | |
| 2001 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 20 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2006 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 6 | 0 | |
| Career total | 127 | 5 | |
| Competition | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Friendlies | 50 | 1 |
| Minor competitions | 12 | 1 |
| CONCACAF Gold Cup | 7 | 0 |
| AFC Asian Cup qualification | 6 | 0 |
| AFC Asian Cup | 16 | 1 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | 3 | 0 |
| FIFA World Cup qualification | 21 | 2 |
| FIFA World Cup | 12 | 0 |
| Total | 127 | 5 |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 July 2000 | Workers' Stadium,Beijing, China | 14 |  China | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 4 October 2000 | Al-Maktoum Stadium,Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 15 |  United Arab Emirates | 1–1 | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (2–3p) | 2000 LG Cup |
| 3 | 13 October 2000 | International Olympic Stadium,Tripoli, Lebanon | 17 | China | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2000 AFC Asian Cup |
| 4 | 9 February 2005 | Seoul World Cup Stadium,Seoul, South Korea | 74 |  Kuwait | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 30 March 2005 | Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea | 76 |  Uzbekistan | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| Year | Title | Role | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Our Neighborhood Arts and Physical Education | Himself | Episode 53–67 | |
| Happy Together Season 3 | Episode 357 | |||
| 2020 | Law of the Jungle in Palawan | Episode 411–415 | [18] | |
| Fly Shoot Dori 7th League | ||||
| 2020–2021 | Not Football or Baseball | |||
| 2021 | Kick A Goal Season 1 | [19] | ||
| Golden Eleven 2 | [20] | |||
| 2021–2022 | Kick A Goal Season 2 | |||
| 2022–2023 | Kick A Goal Season 3 |
Anyang LG Cheetahs
PSV Eindhoven
Tottenham Hotspur
Al-Hilal
South Korea U23
South Korea
Individual
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBS Entertainment Awards | 2022 | Leader of the Year Award[a] | Kick A Goal | Won | [38] |
