Ryang Yong-gi

In this Korean name, the family name is Ryang.
Ryang Yong-gi
Yong-gi with DPR Korea in 2012
Personal information
Date of birth (1982-01-07) 7 January 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth Tadaoka, Osaka, Japan
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2003 Hannan University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2019 Vegalta Sendai 522 (76)
2020–2022 Sagan Tosu 29 (0)
2022–2023 Vegalta Sendai 26 (0)
International career‡
2008–2017 North Korea 26 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 December 2023, 14:44 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 July 2020, 16:20 (UTC)
Ryang Yong-gi
Chosŏn'gŭl
량용기
Hancha
梁勇基
Revised RomanizationYang Yonggi
McCune–ReischauerRyang Yonggi

Ryang Yong-gi (Korean: 량용기; Hancha: 梁勇基; born 7 January 1982) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.[1] Born in Japan, he represented North Korea internationally.

Ryang served as the captain of his club where he played as a creative midfielder.[2]

Ryang has made one appearance for the Korea DPR national football team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds [3] and was named as one of the North Korean squad for the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup.[4] Ryang won the Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards at the competition that guided Korea DPR to win the title and qualify for 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

During the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Ryang was out driving when it hit. "I thought my tires had gone flat or I had driven over the curb, but the shaking continued and I saw the windows of shops shaking too," he recalled. "I knew it was a bad one and rushed home to see my wife." Ryang and his heavily pregnant wife spent the night sleeping in their car, fearful of further damage to buildings in an urban landscape that suffered severe wreckage.[5]

In the aftermath of the disaster, Ryang and his teammates made frequent visits to affected areas to lend support.[5]

Career statistics

Club

As of the end 2023 season[6][7]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vegalta Sendai 2004 J2 League 32 2 2 0 — — 34 2
2005 39 6 1 0 — — 40 6
2006 42 4 1 0 — — 43 4
2007 48 8 1 0 — — 49 8
2008 42 13 0 0 — — 42 13
2009 51 14 4 1 — — 55 15
2010 J1 League 34 11 0 0 3 0 — 37 11
2011 34 4 0 0 3 0 — 37 4
2012 27 3 1 0 5 1 — 33 4
2013 30 4 4 1 2 0 5 1 41 6
2014 33 2 1 0 5 0 — 40 2
2015 33 3 3 0 5 1 — 41 4
2016 26 0 0 0 1 0 — 27 0
2017 24 2 1 0 1 0 — 26 2
2018 14 0 2 0 3 0 — 19 0
2019 13 0 0 0 8 1 — 21 1
Total 522 76 21 2 36 3 5 1 584 81
Sagan Tosu 2020 J1 League 22 0 - - 2 0 — 24 0
2021 7 0 0 0 1 0 — 8 0
Total 29 0 0 0 3 0 ー ー 32 0
Vegalta Sendai 2022 J2 League 15 - 1 0 - - — 16 0
2023 11 0 2 0 - - — 13 0
Career total 577 76 24 2 39 3 5 1 645 81

International

As of match played 18 July 2020[6]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
North Korea
2008 2 0
2009 1 0
2010 7 5
2011 9 0
2012 3 1
2013 0 0
2014 0 0
2015 3 1
2016 0 0
2017 1 0
Total 26 7

International goals

As of goal scored on 14 January 2015[6]
Scores and results list North Korea's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ryang goal.
List of international goals scored by Ryang Yong-gi
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 17 February 2010 Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka  Turkmenistan 1–0 1–1 2010 AFC Challenge Cup
2 21 February 2010 Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka  India 1–0 3–0 2010 AFC Challenge Cup
3 3–0
4 27 February 2010 Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka  Turkmenistan 1–0 1–1 2010 AFC Challenge Cup
5 31 December 2010 Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Turkmenistan 1–0 1–0 Friendly
6 9 December 2012 Hong Kong Stadium, Wanchai, Hong Kong  Hong Kong 2–0 4–0 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup Preliminary round 2
7 14 January 2015 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia  Saudi Arabia 1–0 1–4 2015 AFC Asian Cup

Honours

Vegalta Sendai

North Korea

Individual

  • Individual Fair-Play Award: 2011
  • Monthly Best Goal: 2015

References

  1. ^ "Stats Centre: Ryang Yong-gi Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  2. ^ "Jong poised to fire Chollima". FIFA. 3 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  3. ^ Ryang Yong-gi – FIFA competition record (archived)
  4. ^ 梁勇基選手 2010AFCチャレンジカップ及び朝鮮民主主義人民共和国代表強化合宿参加のお知らせ. Vegalta Sendai official site. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  5. ^ a b Paul Gittings and Yoko Wakatsuki (28 August 2013). "Korea United: Football hero Ryang Yong-gi's ambitious goal". CNN.
  6. ^ a b c Ryang Yong-gi at National-Football-Teams.com
  7. ^ Ryang Yong-gi at Soccerway
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