On Tuesday, the captain of the South Korean national football team Koo Ja-Cheol announced his retirement from football.
After spending 17 years in the field, the 35-year-old star announced that he would hang his boots after sustaining several injuries during the 2023/2024 season.
He made only three appearances with Jeju United, ultimately leading him to retire.
Koo Ja-Cheol said in a press conference on Tuesday: "My body can no longer endure it, whether it's my knee or ankle. In the past, when I got injured, I could at least estimate when I would recover and return to the field."
He added, "Over the past two years, it has become difficult to determine when I could return. That’s when I realized it was time to hang up my boots without any regrets."
The South Korean player concluded his remarks, as reported by the official website of the Asian Football Confederation: "It has always been my dream to return to Jeju and end my career here. I am extremely grateful that I was able to achieve this dream."
The South Korean star will move into coaching at Jeju where he will be part of the youth development program.