Biography
Who is Park Ji-Sung?
Early life
Park Ji-Sung was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Suwon. As a child, he was frequently ill and remained small, which led his family to provide him with traditional foods and health extracts to help him grow. He began playing organized football in the fourth grade and received a national prize as a football prospect while in the sixth grade.
His father initially opposed his football participation, but eventually relented on the condition that Park would not voluntarily quit. Park attended Suwon Technical High School, where his coach initially restricted him to light work with the ball to avoid impeding his growth. In his final year, he helped his school win the high-school division of the Korean National Sports Festival.
Club career
Park began his professional career in Japan with Kyoto Purple Sanga while still enrolled at Myongji University. He helped the club win the J2 title in 2001 and later secured victory in the Emperor's Cup. Following his performances in Japan and at the international level, he moved to the Netherlands to play for PSV Eindhoven under manager Guus Hiddink, winning multiple domestic titles.
In July 2005, Park signed for Manchester United for a fee of around four million pounds. During his seven years with Manchester United, he won four Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup. He later played for Queens Park Rangers before returning to PSV Eindhoven on loan, where he retired from professional football due to a knee injury.
International career
As a member of the South Korea national team, Park earned one hundred caps and scored thirteen goals. He played a key role in the squad that finished fourth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He also represented his nation at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
During his World Cup appearances, he was named man of the match four times, which remains the most of any Asian player. He shares the record as South Korea's joint all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with three goals, having scored in three consecutive tournaments.
Birthday and age
Park Ji-Sung was born on February 25, 1981, which makes Park 45 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Park shares the date with 32 other famous people.
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