Zainichi Korean footballer (born 1985)
Tadanari Lee (李 忠成,Ri Tadanari; born 19 December 1985) is a Japanese formerfootballer who played as astriker orattacking midfielder. He has made 11 appearances for theJapan national team. He is sometimes known as "Chung", in reference to his Korean name, Lee Chung-seong.[2]
Lee is known in Japan for coming on as a substitute in the 109th minute of the2011 AFC Asian Cup final held inQatar and scoring his first international goal to secure a 1–0 win overAustralia, giving Japan their fourth Asian Cup success.
Early life and family
[edit]Lee was born to third generationZainichi Korean parents in Tanashi (present-dayNishitokyo), Tokyo.[3] He has ByeokjinLee (벽진이씨 [ko]) ancestry.[4] His father was also a footballer, who played forYokohama Tristar FC in theJapan Soccer League.
His Korean name isLee Chung-seong (Korean: 이충성;Hanja: 李忠成) and also had usedpass nameTadanari Ōyama (大山 忠成,Ōyama Tadanari).[3]
Lee started playing football at Komine FC and later moved toYokogawa Electric. In 2001, he joinedFC Tokyo youth team and took second places at All Japan Club Youth Soccer tournament, Prince Takamado Cup and J.League Youth tournament. He briefly joined training squads for the South Korea U-19 and U-20 teams but not played at official games. He experienced severe discrimination from Korean teammates referring to him as aban-jjokbari (half-Jap) with strong racial undertones.[5][6]
He was promoted to FC Tokyo in 2004 and moved toKashiwa Reysol in 2005 and later joinedSanfrecce Hiroshima in 2009.[7]
On 11 January 2012, Lee secured a work permit to allow him to play forSouthampton, who confirmed the free transfer on 25 January 2012.[8]
He made his debut for Southampton on 28 January 2012, as a substitute in a fourth roundFA Cup match againstMillwall.[9] Lee started and played the duration of the replay, failing to score as Millwall won 3–2 after a 92nd-minute winner fromLiam Feeney.
He scored his first goal for Southampton in a 4–0 victory overDerby County on 18 February, with a "venomous strike into the far corner" of the goal.[10]He made his first league start one week later, a 3–0 victory away atWatford, with Lee winning a penalty for the third goal scored byRickie Lambert. After damaging ligaments on 10 March 2012 Lee missed the rest of the season.[11]
His goal won the Southampton's Goal of the Season Award.[citation needed]
After 5 months out injured, he made his return to action with a goal in a 4–1 victory atStevenage in the League Cup.
He was handed the number 19 shirt for the 2013–14 season after Southampton invited him back to the First Team. He made his first return to the Southampton team after year when starting in theLeague Cup againstBristol City.
On 14 January 2014 he was released from his contract at Southampton after a two-year spell.[12][13]
On 14 February 2013, Lee returned to his former club,FC Tokyo on loan until the end of June.[14] He made his debut on 2 March 2013, coming on as a 72nd-minute substitutee. He scored his first goal for the club on 23 March 2013 in the 77th minute against two-time defending championKashima Antlers.[15]
He had a successful spell withUrawa Red Diamonds winning the2016 J.League Cup,2017 Suruga Bank Championship,2017 AFC Champions League and the2018 Emperor's Cup.[citation needed]
Albirex Niigata Singapore
[edit]After nine years in Japan, on 1 January 2022, Lee joined Singapore-basedAlbirex Niigata (S) on a one-year deal reportedly earning SGD$12,000 per month.l,[16] of which he will donate all of his goal bonus pay-outs, worth $200 per goal, to SportCares.[17] On 19 January 2022, he made his debut in the 2022Singapore Community Shield, netting a penalty in a 2–1 loss to reigning2021 Singapore Premier League champions,Lion City Sailors.[18]
He ended the 2022 season winning the2022 Singapore Premier League title. On 12 December 2022, he extended his contract for another season, for the 20th year of his professional career playing in the2023 Singapore Premier League season. On 14 September 2023, Lee announced via the club official page that he will retired at the end of the season. On the final league fixture againstHougang United, Lee scored a brace in a 5–0 home victory striking his trademark celebration as his team retain the league title.
International career
[edit]In August 2008, Lee was selectedJapan U-23 national team for2008 Summer Olympics. At this tournament, he played all 3 matches.[19]
After becoming a regular starter for Sanfrecce and finishing the 2010 season strongly, Lee was rewarded with a call-up toJapan's2011 Asian Cup squad and made his full international debut on 9 January 2011 againstJordan.[20] His first international goal was in the 109th minute of the final to secure a 1–0 win overAustralia and Japan's fourth Asian Cup success.[21]
International career statistics
[edit]Appearances in major competitions
[edit]Senior international goals
[edit]Sanfrecce Hiroshima[25]
Southampton
Urawa Red Diamonds
Yokohama F. Marinos
Albirex Niigata (S)
Japan[25]
