Jong Il-gwan

Jong Il-gwan (Korean: 정일관; Hanja: 鄭 日 冠 ; born

Jong Il-gwan
30 October 1992) is a North Korean professional
footballer who plays as a striker for DPR Korea
Premier Football League club Ryomyong and the
North Korea national team.[1] He is the country's all-
time top scorer.

Club career
On 24 November 2010, Jong was crowned AFC Youth
Player of the Year.[2] On 5 June 2012, numerous
reports surfaced linking the player with a move to
Newcastle United[3] with later reports strongly linking
him with FK Partizan[4] and PSV Eindhoven.[5] He
was transferred to Swiss Super League club FC Luzern
in July 2017, signing a two-year contract.[6]

On 1 August 2022, Jong won his club's first ever

Hwaebul Cup after scoring a 96th minute winner for Jong with North Korea in 2019
Ryomyong against April 25 in a 2–1 win.[7] Personal information
Date of birth 30 October 1992
On 19 March 2024, the Japanese newspaper Choson
Place of birth Sariwon, North Korea
Sinbo revealed that Jong signed for Choson University
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
of Physical Education club.[8]
Position(s) Striker
On 30 August 2024, a Championat Asia article Team information
revealed that Jong had returned to Ryomyong.[9] Current team Rimyongsu
Number 30
Senior career*
International career Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2017 Rimyongsu
Jong made his senior international debut for North
2017–2018 Luzern 4 (1)
Korea on 26 March 2011 against Iraq in a 2–0 defeat.
2018 → FC Wil (loan) 2 (0)
Jong made his EAFF preliminaries debut in 2012 2018–20?? Rimyongsu
against Chinese Taipei. He scored his first competition 20??–2024 Choson University
goal in a 5–0 win against Guam in the second 2024– Ryomyong
preliminary round. Jong scored a brace in 2014 against International career‡
the same opposition for the second preliminary round, North Korea U20 3 (0)
helping his side qualify for the final tournament. He 2011– North Korea 82 (31)
scored another goal against Chinese Taipei and Hong Medal record
Kong in 2016 for the 2017 edition's second Representing North Korea
preliminaries. On 16 December 2017, Jong scored a
Men's football
stunning free kick against China in a 1–1 draw.
Asian Games
In the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, Jong was named captain 2014 Incheon Team
of the national team. Against Qatar, he was sent off *Club domestic league appearances and goals,
towards the end of the match. correct as of 27 March 2018
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10
On 21 November 2023, Jong scored his first October 2024
international hat-trick against Myanmar in a 6–1 win at
the Thuwunna Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Jong Il-gwan
Cup qualification phase.
Chosŏn'gŭl 정일관
On 6 June 2024, Jong scored a 90+2' stoppage time Revised Romanization Jeong Ilgwan
winner against Syria. That goal helped North Korea McCune–Reischauer Chŏng Il'gwan
stay in the running for the third round of qualifying.

Style of play
Jong is known for being a pacy and technical forward who can
play on either flanks or up top. He has an expert first touch and
vision and has an eye for exploiting spaces in between defenders.
Jong is also a set piece specialist, scoring multiple free kicks in his
international career.

Career statistics

As of match played 6 June 2024[10]

Jong lining up with North Korea in
Scores and results list North Korean goal tally first, 2012.
score column indicates score after each Jong goal.
 List of international goals scored by Jong Il-gwan
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition

Dasarath
2012 AFC
Rangasala
1 9 April 2011 Nepal 1–0 1–0 Challenge Cup
Stadium,
qualification
Kathmandu, Nepal

Dasarath
19 March Rangasala 2012 AFC
2 Turkmenistan 1–1 2–1
2012 Stadium, Challenge Cup
Kathmandu, Nepal
10 Gelora Bung
3 September Karno Stadium, Indonesia 2–0 2–0 Friendly
2012 Jakarta, Indonesia

Mong Kok 2013 EAFF East

3 December
4 Stadium, Mong Guam 5–0 5–0 Asian Cup
2012
Kok, Hong Kong qualification

5 16 Taipei Municipal 1–0 2015 EAFF East

November Stadium, Taipei, Guam 5–1 Asian Cup
6 2014 Taiwan 2–1 preliminary
3 Bahrain National
2018 FIFA World
7 September Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain 1–0 1–0
Cup qualification
2015 Bahrain

Kim Il Sung
13 October Stadium, 2018 FIFA World
8 Yemen 1–0 1–0
2015 Pyongyang, North Cup qualification
Korea

Kim Il Sung
17
Stadium, 2018 FIFA World
9 November Bahrain 2–0 2–0
Pyongyang, North Cup qualification
2015
Korea
UiTM Stadium,
14 August
10 Shah Alam, Iraq 1–0 1–0 Friendly
2016
Malaysia

Tuanku Abdul
21 August
11 Rahman Stadium, Iraq 1–0 1–1 Friendly
2016
Paroi, Malaysia

Shanghai
24 August
12 Stadium, United Arab Emirates 1–0 2–0 Friendly
2016
Shanghai, China
Rizal Memorial
10 October
13 Stadium, Manila, Philippines 1–0 3–1 Friendly
2016
Philippines

2017 EAFF E-1

Mong Kok
6 November Football
14 Stadium, Mong Chinese Taipei 1–0 2–0
2016 Championship
Kok, Hong Kong
qualification

2017 EAFF E-1

12 Mong Kok
Football
15 November Stadium, Mong Hong Kong 1–0 1–0
Championship
2016 Kok, Hong Kong
qualification
10 New I-Mobile
2019 AFC Asian
16 November Stadium, Buriram, Malaysia 4–0 4–1
Cup qualification
2017 Thailand
 16 Ajinomoto 2017 EAFF E-1
17 December Stadium, Tokyo, China 1–1 1–1 Football
2017 Japan Championship
Kim Il Sung
27 March Stadium, 2019 AFC Asian
18 Hong Kong 1–0 2–0
2018 Pyongyang, North Cup qualification
Korea

2019 EAFF E-1

11 Taipei Municipal
Football
19 November Stadium, Taipei, Mongolia 4–0 4–1
Championship
2018 Taiwan
qualification

2019 EAFF E-1

16 Taipei Municipal
Football
20 November Stadium, Taipei, Chinese Taipei 1–0 2–0
Championship
2018 Taiwan
qualification

25 Mỹ Đình National
21 December Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam 1–1 1–1 Friendly
2018 Vietnam

TransStadia
2019
22 8 July 2019 Arena, Syria 1–0 2–5
Intercontinental Cup
Ahmedabad, India

23 TransStadia 1–0
13 July 2019
Arena, India 5–2
2019 Intercontinental Cup
24 Ahmedabad, India 2–0

25 Kim Il Sung 1–0

5
Stadium, 2022 FIFA World
September Lebanon 2–0
Pyongyang, North Cup qualification
26 2019 2–0
Korea

27 1–0
21 Thuwunna
2026 FIFA World
28 November Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar 4–0 6–1
Cup qualification
2023 Myanmar
29 5–0

New Laos National

6 June 2026 FIFA World
30 Stadium, Syria 1–0 1–0
2024 Cup qualification
Vientiane, Laos

Hazza bin Zayed

10 October Stadium, Al Ain, 2026 FIFA World
31 United Arab Emirates 1–1 1–1
2024 United Arab Cup qualification
Emirates

Honours
North Korea U20

AFC U-19 Championship: 2010

North Korea

Hero Intercontinental Cup: 2019[11]

Individual

2010 AFC U-19 Championship Golden Ball

 Hero Intercontinental Cup Best player: 2019

References
1. Jong Il-gwan (https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/42912.html) at National-
Football-Teams.com
2. "The AFC" (https://web.archive.org/web/20190424235911/http://www.the-afc.com/en/previo
us-awards/afc-awards-2010/31535-afc-youth-player-of-the-year-jong-il-gwan). www.the-
afc.com. Archived from the original (http://www.the-afc.com/en/previous-awards/afc-awards-
2010/31535-afc-youth-player-of-the-year-jong-il-gwan) on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 22 May
2022.
3. "Newcastle eyeing North Korea sensation Jong Il-Gwan - Tribal Football" (http://www.tribalfo
otball.com/articles/newcastle-eyeing-north-korea-sensation-jong-il-gwan-3222841).
4. Reprezentativac Severne Koreje ponudjen Partizanu (http://www.sportal.rs/news.php?news
=75793) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20120609032553/http://www.sportal.rs/news.
php?news=75793) 9 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine at sportal.rs, 6-6-2012 (in Serbian)
5. Wyrsch, Daniel (1 June 2017). "Stürmer aus Nordkorea als FCL-Hoffnungsträger" (http://ww
w.luzernerzeitung.ch/sport/fussball/fcl/papierstau-behoben-nordkoreaner-il-gwan-jong-stuer
mt-fuer-edn-fcl;art98,1060526) (in German). Retrieved 15 July 2017.
6. "Papierstau behoben: Nordkoreaner Il Gwan Jong stürmt für den FCL" (http://www.luzernerz
eitung.ch/sport/fussball/fcl/papierstau-behoben-nordkoreaner-il-gwan-jong-stuermt-fuer-edn-
fcl;art98,1060526) (in German). 7 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
7. Ri, Sung Ik. "Footballers and coaches of year nominated" (https://web.archive.org/web/2019
1228185831/http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/?bbs=32580). The Pyongyang Times.
Archived from the original (http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/?bbs=32580) on 28
December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
8. "〈2026W杯アジア2次予選〉ピックアッププレーヤー②チョン・イルグァン選手" (https://c
hosonsinbo.com/jp/2024/03/18-115/). 朝鮮新報 (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 June 2024.
9. "KXDR O'zbekistonga qanday tarkib bilan kelayotgani malum" (https://championat.asia/oz/n
ews/kxdr-ozbekistonga-qanday-tarkib-bilan-kelayotgani-malum?fbclid=IwY2xjawFD9OpleH
RuA2FlbQIxMAABHQ4asqhXlEDLuBtp_m3SiH-YOyKBgzzPv5fhGpJ4gI1fKDyQiL0v9rsn4w
_aem_KxU364d7BFE0LiZ2_AeX_Q). CHAMPIONAT.asia (in oz). Retrieved 3 September
2024.
10. "Jong, Il-Gwan" (http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/42912/Il_Gwan_Jong.html).
National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
11. "DPR KOREA LIFT HERO INTERCONTINENTAL CUP 2019 TITLE" (https://archive.today/2
0190729145527/https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=9827). AIFF. 19 July
2019. Archived from the original (https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=9827)
on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.

External links
Jong Il-gwan (https://web.archive.org/web/20150905/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/pl
ayers-coaches/people=337267/index.html) – FIFA competition record (archived)
Jong Il-gwan (https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/42912.html) at National-
Football-Teams.com

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