Son Jun-ho (footballer)
South Korean footballer (born 1992)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Son Jun-ho (Korean: 손준호; born 12 May 1992) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for K League 2 club Chungnam Asan.
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Son with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Son Jun-ho[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 12 May 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Yeongdeok, South Korea | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Chungnam Asan | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2010 | Pohang Steelers | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Yeungnam University | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Pohang Steelers | 99 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 86 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Shandong Taishan | 46 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Gunyung FC | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Suwon FC | 12 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Chungnam Asan | 35 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | South Korea U23 | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018– | South Korea | 20 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 28 March 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Early career
After graduating from high school and Pohang Steelers academy, Son played for Yeungnam University in the U-League. In 2013, he was named the U-League Most Valuable Player by leading his university to a league title. The next year, he returned to Pohang Steelers, where he played as a youth player, and made his professional debut.[2]
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Before the start of the 2018 season, Son joined Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on a four-year contract.[3] While playing for Jeonbuk, he won three consecutive K League 1 titles, and especially contributed to Jeonbuk's first-ever Double in 2020 when he was selected as the K League 1 Most Valuable Player.[4]
Shandong Taishan
On 13 January 2021, Son joined Chinese Super League club Shandong Taishan.[5] He quickly showed large influence, leading Shandong to a league title in his first CSL season. He was regarded as the league's best player,[6][7] but the award ceremony was not held at the end of the season.
Match-fixing allegations and trial
On 15 May 2023, however, Son was reportedly investigated by public security authorities in Liaoning due to match-fixing allegations involving former Shandong Taishan manager Hao Wei.[8] The following day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that he had been detained for a suspected bribery case.[9]
After ten months of detention by Chinese authorities, Son was released and returned to South Korea on 25 March 2024.[10] For about two months, he trained at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and played for fifth division club Gunyung FC.[11] He was expected to join Jeonbuk, but the negotiation with the club broke down due to the suspicion.[12] On 14 June, he joined another K League 1 club Suwon FC with the help of Choi Soon-ho, the director of Suwon and his former manager.[13]
On 10 September, Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced that Son was banned from football-related activities in China for lifetime for involving in match-fixing.[14][15] It also notified FIFA and Korea Football Association of the disciplinary action against him. The next day, he held a press conference to deny the verdict. He claimed that he made a false confession due to oppressive investigation and did not know why match fixer Jin Jingdao sent ¥200,000 to his account.[16] On 13 September, Suwon FC terminated the contract with him and was criticised for wasting citizens' tax money.[17]
Chungnam Asan
On 24 January 2025, FIFA dismissed CFA's request due to lack of evidence and Son could continue his football career outside China.[18] On 6 February, he joined K League 2 club Chungnam Asan.[19] In the middle of the season, Chungnam Asan announced Son became their new captain on 5 August, but Kim Seung-ho wore the armband in a league match against Gyeongnam FC four days after the announcement due to strong opposition from their supporters club.[20][21][22]
International career
Son would make his first senior appearance for South Korea in a friendlies match on 27 January 2018 against Moldova, where he came on as a substitute for Kim Sung-joon in a 1–0 victory.[23]
Style of play
Son usually played as a defensive midfielder, and was good at duel, interception, recovery, and long-distance pass.[24]
Career statistics
- As of 23 November 2025[25]
| Team | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Pohang Steelers | 2014 | K League 1 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7[a] | 1 | — | 34 | 2 | |
| 2015 | K League 1 | 35 | 9 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 9 | |||
| 2016 | K League 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 1 | — | 7 | 1 | ||
| 2017 | K League 1 | 35 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 4 | |||
| Total | 99 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 2 | — | 115 | 16 | |||
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2018 | K League 1 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7[a] | 1 | — | 39 | 6 | |
| 2019 | K League 1 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7[a] | 0 | — | 39 | 5 | ||
| 2020 | K League 1 | 25 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 31 | 3 | ||
| Total | 86 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 1 | — | 109 | 14 | |||
| Shandong Taishan | 2021 | Chinese Super League | 21 | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 4 | ||
| 2022 | Chinese Super League | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | Chinese Super League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 46 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 5 | ||
| Suwon FC | 2024 | K League 1 | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
| Chungnam Asan | 2025 | K League 2 | 35 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 278 | 32 | 24 | 3 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 328 | 38 | ||
- Appearances in AFC Champions League
- Appearance in Chinese Super Cup
Honours
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Shandong Taishan
South Korea U23
South Korea
Individual
