Clubs: Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United FC

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: runner-up 2009, 2011

• Stood out in Korea Republic's shock run to the FIFA World Cup semi-finals on home soil in 2002, then followed coach Guus Hiddink to PSV, along with compatriot Lee Young-Pyo, in 2003.

• Grew into a key performer at PSV and starred in a memorable 2004/05 season in which they won both Dutch domestic trophies and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, where he scored against AC Milan.

• Followed the path previously taken, with great success, by Jaap Stam and Ruud van Nistelrooy in leaving PSV for United; had a strong start but was injured for much of the second and third campaigns – which brought Premier League titles − and left out of the squad for the 2008 UEFA Champions League final in Moscow.

• He did, however, start the 2009 final in Rome − thus becoming the first Asian player to appear in European club football's showpiece – having scored in the semi-final second leg against Arsenal FC; also played the full 90 minutes of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup final win against LDU Quito in Japan.

• Enhanced his reputation as a player for the big occasions by scoring against Arsenal, Milan and Liverpool FC − the latter a decisive header in a 2-1 victory − in early 2010; scored one goal in three games at the World Cup finals later that summer.

• Proved the scourge of Arsenal once again when he headed the winner against them at Old Trafford on 13 December 2010 − his fourth goal in seven starts versus the Gunners.