Quick Facts
Biography
Ji So-yun (Korean: 지소연, Korean pronunciation: [tɕi.so.jʌn]; born 21 February 1991) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays for Chelsea LFC in the FA WSL and the South Korean national team.
Club career
Ji started her career in Japan, playing for L. League champions INAC Kobe Leonessa between 2011 and 2013. In November 2013, Ji was subject to a transfer bid from English club Chelsea. She agreed to a two-year contract in January 2014. When the transfer was officially confirmed later that month, Chelsea coach Emma Hayes said of Ji: "She is one of the best midfielders in the world and our fans will love her." In one of her final matches for the Japanese club, Ji scored against her soon to be new club, Chelsea in the International Women's Club Championship final.
Ji was named Players' Player of the Year after her first season in England, as Chelsea narrowly missed out on the FA WSL 1 league title on the last day of the season. She was named PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year in April 2015 and was also named in the PFA WSL Team of the Year.
At the 2015 FA Women's Cup Final, staged at Wembley Stadium for the first time, Ji scored the only goal of the match to win the Cup for Chelsea. In October 2015 she also scored in Chelsea's 4–0 win over Sunderland which secured the club's first FA WSL title and a League and Cup "double".
International career
Ji has represented South Korea at Under 17 level and was part of the Under 20 team that finished runners up at the 2009 AFC U-19 Women's Championship and third at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
In October 2006, Ji made her senior team debut while playing at the 2006 Peace Queen Cup. On 30 November 2006, she became the youngest goalscorer (7003576100000000000♠15 years, 282 days) for the South Korean senior team, after scoring two goals against Chinese Taipei in the 2006 Asian Games.
Ji is the all-time top goal scorer of the South Korean women's national football team.
Honours
Club
- L. League Champions: 2011, 2012, 2013
- Empress's Cup: 2011, 2012, 2013
- International Women's Club Championship: 2013
- FA Women's Super League 1: 2015
- FA Women's Cup: 2015
International
- AFC U-19 Women's Championship Runner-up: 2009
- FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Third place: 2010
- Asian Games Third place: 2010, 2014
Individual
- 2009 Summer Universiade MVP
- 2009 AFC U-19 Women's Championship Top Scorer (4 goals)
- 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Silver Ball
- 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Silver Shoe (8 goals)
- KFA Women's Footballer of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
- Asian Women Footballer of the Year: 2013
- FA WSL1 Women's Player's Player of the Year: 2014
- PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year: 2014–15
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 November 2006 |  Doha |  Chinese Taipei | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2006 Asian Games |
| 2 | 30 November 2006 | Doha | Chinese Taipei | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2006 Asian Games |
| 3 | 17 February 2007 |  Masan |  India | 1–0 | 5–0 | 2008 Summer Olympics Qual. |
| 4 | 15 April 2007 |  Hai Phong | Vietnam | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2008 Summer Olympics Qual. |
| 5 | 15 April 2007 | Hai Phong | Vietnam | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2008 Summer Olympics Qual. |
| 6 | 12 August 2007 | Cheongju | Vietnam | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2008 Summer Olympics Qual. |
| 7 | 26 August 2009 | Tainan |  Northern Mariana Islands | 1–0 | 19–0 | 2010 EAFF Women's Championship Qual. |
| 8 | 26 August 2009 | Tainan | Northern Mariana Islands | 11–0 | 19–0 | 2010 EAFF Women's Championship Qual. |
| 9 | 26 August 2009 | Tainan | Northern Mariana Islands | 12–0 | 19–0 | 2010 EAFF Women's Championship Qual. |
| 10 | 26 August 2009 | Tainan | Northern Mariana Islands | 16–0 | 19–0 | 2010 EAFF Women's Championship Qual. |
| 11 | 26 August 2009 | Tainan | Northern Mariana Islands | 19–0 | 19–0 | 2010 EAFF Women's Championship Qual. |
| 12 | 30 August 2009 | Tainan | Chinese Taipei | 5–0 | 6–0 | 2010 EAFF Women's Championship Qual. |
| 13 | 10 February 2010 |  Tokyo |  China PR | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2010 EAFF Women's Championship |
| 14 | 14 November 2010 | Guangzhou | Vietnam | 1–1 | 6–1 | 2010 Asian Games |
| 15 | 16 November 2010 | Guangzhou |  Jordan | 1–0 | 5–0 | 2010 Asian Games |
| 16 | 16 November 2010 | Guangzhou | Jordan | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2010 Asian Games |
| 17 | 16 November 2010 | Guangzhou | Jordan | 5–0 | 5–0 | 2010 Asian Games |
| 18 | 22 November 2010 | Guangzhou | China PR | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2010 Asian Games |
| 19 | 7 March 2011 |  Paralimni |  Russia | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2011 Cyprus Cup |
| 20 | 18 June 2011 | Ehime | Japan | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly match |
| 21 | 3 September 2011 | Jinan | Japan | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2012 Summer Olympics Qualifiers |
| 22 | 14 January 2013 | Chongqing |  Canada | 2–0 | 3–1 | Friendly match (Yongchuan Cup) |
| 23 | 6 March 2013 | Paralimni |  South Africa | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2013 Cyprus Cup |
| 24 | 8 March 2013 | Paralimni |  Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2013 Cyprus Cup |
| 25 | 27 July 2013 | Seoul | Japan | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2013 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup |
| 26 | 27 July 2013 | Seoul | Japan | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2013 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup |
| 27 | 5 March 2014 | Paralimni |  Switzerland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2014 Cyprus Cup |
| 28 | 7 March 2014 | Paralimni |  Republic of Ireland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2014 Cyprus Cup |
| 29 | 15 May 2014 | Ho Chi Minh City |  Myanmar | 1–0 | 12–0 | 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup |
| 30 | 17 May 2014 | Ho Chi Minh City |  Thailand | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup |
| 31 | 12 November 2014 | Hsinchu |  Guam | 1–0 | 15–0 | 2015 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup Qual. |
| 32 | 12 November 2014 | Hsinchu | Guam | 8–0 | 15–0 | 2015 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup Qual. |
| 33 | 15 November 2014 | Hsinchu |  Hong Kong | 1–0 | 9–0 | 2015 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup Qual. |
| 34 | 13 January 2015 | Shenzhen | China PR | 2–2 | 3–2 | Friendly match |
| 35 | 15 January 2015 | Shenzhen |  Mexico | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly match |
| 36 | 4 March 2015 | Nicosia |  Italy | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2015 Cyprus Cup |
| 37 | 5 April 2015 | Incheon | Russia | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly match |
| 38 | 8 April 2015 | Incheon | Russia | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly match |
| 39 | 13 June 2015 | Montreal |  Costa Rica | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup |
| 40 | 3 March 2017 | Nicosia |  Scotland | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2017 Cyprus Cup |
| 41 | 6 March 2017 | Larnaca |  New Zealand | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2017 Cyprus Cup |
| 42 | 5 April 2017 |  Pyongyang | India | 8–0 | 10–0 | 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification |
| 43 | 5 April 2017 | Pyongyang | India | 10–0 | 10–0 | 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification |
| 44 | 11 April 2017 | Pyongyang |  Uzbekistan | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification |
| 45 | 11 April 2017 | Pyongyang | Uzbekistan | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification |