Bun Kun Cha Football player Date of Birth: 21.05.1953 Country: North Korea

1. Biography of Bum Kun Cha
2. Early Career
3. International Career
4. Achievements
5. Coaching Career and Life After Retirement

Biography of Bum Kun Cha

Bum Kun Cha, born on May 21, 1953 in Hwasung, Yongin-do, Korea, is a South Korean football player. Despite an eight-year hiatus from international games, he is considered one of the greatest forwards and scorers in the history of national teams. It is difficult to imagine what records this talented Korean could have set if he had not moved to the Bundesliga at the peak of his fame. However, even in the German league, he set two records that are difficult to beat - the most appearances and goals scored by a foreign player.

Early Career

Cha played for "Gyonsin High School" from 1969 to 1971 and "Korean University" from 1972 to 1975 and again from 1976 to 1978. He also played for "Syantak Bank" in 1976 (all in South Korea, amateur leagues) before moving to "Darmstadt" in 1978/79 season and then "Eintracht Frankfurt" from 1979 to 1983. He finished his club career at "Bayer" Leverkusen from 1984 to 1989. In total, he played 308 matches and scored 98 goals in the German D-1 league. In European club competitions, he played 37 matches and scored 10 goals.

International Career

Cha made his international debut on May 7, 1972, in a match against Iraq (0-0) in Bangkok. His last international game was on June 10, 1986, against Italy (2-3) in Puebla, Mexico. During his international career, he played 121 matches and scored 55 goals for the South Korean national team. He represented his country in various Asian tournaments and was a key player in the team.

Achievements

Cha has numerous achievements both individually and as part of a team. He won the Asian Games in 1978 and was a finalist in the Asian Cup in 1972. He also won the UEFA Cup in 1980 and 1988 and the German Cup in 1981. He was named the Best Asian Player of the 20th century and the Best South Korean Player of the 20th century. In 1973, he was named the best player in the South Korean league. He also holds the records for the most matches and goals in the Bundesliga by a foreign player.

Coaching Career and Life After Retirement

After retiring from professional football, Cha became a coach. He coached "Ulsan Hyundai" from 1990 to 1994 and the South Korean national team from 1997 to 1998. He also coached "Shenyang Dongjin" in China from 1998 to 1999 and "Samsung Bluewings" from 2003 onwards. He served as a consultant for the South Korean national team during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where they achieved a historic fourth-place finish.

Cha's son, Du Ri Cha, followed in his father's footsteps and also became a professional football player. Currently, Bum Kun Cha is involved in various social and sports programs for the "Bayer" corporation in Asia. He is a patron for around 1000 young players and works closely with 11 coaches. He has also been working as a commentator since 1991 and has his own program on a broadcasting channel since 2001.