Kim Seung-gyu
South Korean footballer (born 1990)
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Kim Seung-gyu (Korean: 김승규; born 30 September 1990) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for J1 League club FC Tokyo and the South Korea national team.
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Kim with South Korea in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Kim Seung-gyu[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 30 September 1990[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Ulsan, South Korea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | FC Tokyo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2012 | Ulsan Hyundai[note 1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2015 | Ulsan Hyundai | 110 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Vissel Kobe | 107 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Ulsan Hyundai | 16 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2022 | Kashiwa Reysol | 72 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2025 | Al-Shabab | 57 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | FC Tokyo | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | South Korea U17 | 17[α] | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | South Korea U20 | 16 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2014 | South Korea U23 | 15[β] | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013– | South Korea | 87 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 May 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 3 June 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Kim was a much-anticipated youth player of Ulsan Hyundai, and joined the senior team after graduating middle school. However, he usually played in reserve team and high school's team for a long time. He became Ulsan's main goalkeeper after showing impressive performances in important opportunities while existing goalkeeper Kim Young-kwang was injured in 2013. He was also selected for the K League Best XI in that season.[5]
When playing for Vissel Kobe, Kim was selected as one of three outstanding J.League goalkeepers in the 2016 season, who were nominated for the J.League Best XI, but lost to Shusaku Nishikawa.[6]
Kim joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Shabab on 6 July 2022.[7] He kept the third highest number of clean sheets with 11 clean sheets in the 2022–23 Saudi Pro League.[8] He kept clean sheets in all four matches until the quarter-finals of the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, but conceded three goals in a semi-final defeat against Al-Hilal.[9]
International career
2014 World Cup
Kim made his senior international debut against Peru on 14 August 2013 in a goalless draw, keeping a clean sheet in his debut.[10]
Kim was named in South Korea's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup as the second-choice goalkeeper behind Jung Sung-ryong. He did not play the first two games, but after Jung's poor performance against Algeria he was selected to play against Belgium. He made numerous saves, but conceded one as Korea lost 1–0. Despite the loss, Kim was well praised by the fans for his performance, conceding only one goal against one of the top ranked teams in the world on his World Cup debut.[11]
2014 Asian Games
Kim was named as an over-aged player for the South Korean under-23 team to play in the 2014 Asian Games. Kim helped his team get a gold medal for the first time in 28 years. Kim conceded no goals in the six matches he played and was granted a military exemption.[12]
Kim was selected for South Korea's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia,[13] but the manager Shin Tae-yong chose Jo Hyeon-woo as his main goalkeeper, and so he couldn't appear during the competition.
2022 World Cup
After the 2018 World Cup, South Korea's next manager Paulo Bento had great faith in Kim. He participated in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, conceding two goals during five matches until the quarter-finals. In the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, he conceded only three goals during 14 appearances, helping South Korea qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[14]
In 2022, Kim participated in the World Cup as the first-choice goalkeeper for the first time. During the group stage, he was criticised for failing to block any of Ghana's three shots on target, but proved his abilities by conceding only one goal against Uruguay and Portugal.[15] He met Brazilian forwards in the round of 16, and struggled to defend against them in a 4–1 defeat.
Kim was named in the national team for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. He played against Bahrain in South Korea's first match, but was absent from the rest of the Asian Cup matches due to a cruciate ligament injury.[16]
2026 World Cup
On 16 May 2026, Kim was named in South Korea's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[17]
Style of play
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ulsan Hyundai | 2008 | K League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2009 | K League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2010 | K League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2011 | K League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2012 | K League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5[d] | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2013 | K League 1 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 0 | ||||
| 2014 | K League 1 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 6[d] | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | |||
| 2015 | K League 1 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 110 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 138 | 0 | ||
| Vissel Kobe | 2016 | J1 League | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2017 | J1 League | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | J1 League | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | J1 League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 107 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 121 | 0 | ||||
| Ulsan Hyundai | 2019 | K League 1 | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Kashiwa Reysol | 2020 | J1 League | 24 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 | |||
| 2021 | J1 League | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | J1 League | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 72 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 77 | 0 | |||
| Al-Shabab | 2022–23 | Saudi Pro League | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[d] | 0 | 4[e] | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | Saudi Pro League | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 5[e] | 0 | 27 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 57 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 73 | 0 | |||
| FC Tokyo | 2025 | J1 League | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2026–27 | J1 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 16[f] | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Total | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 376 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 458 | 0 | ||
- Includes Korean FA Cup, Emperor's Cup, King Cup
- Includes Korean League Cup, J.League Cup
- Appearances in K League Championship
- Appearances in AFC Champions League
- Appearances in Arab Club Champions Cup
- Appearances in J1 100 Year Vision League
International
- As of match played 3 June 2026[4]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 2013 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 3 | 0 | |
| Career total | 87 | 0 | |
Personal life
On April 29, 2024, it was confirmed that Kim would marry model and actress Kim Jin-kyung in June.[21] The couple married on June 17, 2024 in Seoul.[22]
Honours
Ulsan Hyundai
Kashiwa Reysol
- J.League Cup runner-up: 2020
South Korea U23
South Korea
- AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 2015
- EAFF Championship: 2015, 2019
Individual
- K League 1 Best XI: 2013[5]
- K League All-Star: 2014[23]
- EAFF Championship Best Goalkeeper: 2019[24]
Notes
- Played for Hyundai Middle School from 2003 to 2005, Hyundai High School from 2006 to 2007, and Ulsan Hyundai B from 2006 to 2012, which were academies of Ulsan Hyundai.
- Includes six appearances as an overage player in Asian Games.
