Ex-National Team Footballer Cho Jae-Jin Retires
SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) — Cho Jae-jin, a former striker for South Korea’s World Cup football team, announced his retirement Friday.
Han Jae-won, Cho’s agent, said Cho has been diagnosed with a condition called “developmental hip dysplasia” and decided he would not be able to continue his career.
Under this condition, Cho has an abnormal formation of the hip joint, with the ball on the top of his thigh bone not firmly held in the socket. Cho has been taking medication and undergoing therapy over his career.
After wrapping up the 2010 season with Gamba Osaka in Japan’s J-League, Cho returned to South Korea in January this year for closer examinations.
Cho made his professional debut in 2000 with Suwon Samsung Bluewings in South Korea’s K-League. He spent five seasons in his native country, scoring 14 goals in 78 matches.
Cho represented South Korea at the 2004 Athens Olympics and again at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He netted 10 goals in 40 career international matches.
He has also played for Shimizu S-Pulse and Gamba Osaka in Japan.
Cho once received a series of offers from European clubs. He almost joined Newcastle United in the English Premier League in late 2007 but failed a physical.
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Copyright 2011 Asia Pulse Pte Ltd, Source: The Financial Times Limited
