Soccer News - FIFA KOREA

▶ Ji Soyun: My journey is far from over

[2025/02/23 ]

Ji Soyun is one of the trailblazing figures for female football on the Asian continent. When the midfielder, who turns 34 today, left Chelsea in 2022 to go home to Korea Republic, many believed that she was writing the final chapter in what was an outstanding journey at both club and international level.

It was a career that saw her first rise to prominence at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Germany 2010™, where she led Korea Republic to the semi-finals and collected both the adidas Silver Ball and adidas Silver Shoe.

She then went on to enjoy an illustrious club career, first joining Japanese outfit INAC Kobe Leonessa in 2011, where she played alongside FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Homare Sawa as they won the Nadeshiko League three times on the trot.

Ji then signed with Chelsea in 2014 and was voted as the PFA Players’ Player of the Year after her first season. Until her Chelsea team-mate Sam Kerr achieved the feat in 2022, Ji was the only non-European to have won the honour. In a storied career in London, she helped Chelsea win six Women’s Super League titles, four Women’s FA Cups, and two Women’s League Cup titles.

On the international stage, though, Ji and Korea Republic have produced mixed results. Despite having qualified for three consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cups since 2015, the Koreans went winless at the last two editions and are still yet to qualify for the Olympics.

Even as she approaches her mid-thirties, Ji doesn't want to end her career with any regrets. To that end, last year she left Suwon FC Women to challenge herself in the NWSL with Seattle Reign FC, marking a third continent that she has played her club football on.

Ji recently sat down with FIFA at her club’s pre-season camp in California to reflect on her career and what’s keeping her motivated to continue paving the way for the women’s game in Korea, with Women’s Asian Cup qualification the next target on the horizon.

FIFA: When you returned to Korea in 2022 after eight years with Chelsea, many thought Suwon FC Women would be your last club. What motivated you to go for another challenge with Seattle Reign in the US?

Ji Soyun: It was because I believe that the US is the best in the world when it comes to women’s football. In England, where I used to play, the crowd turnout at games gradually increased and now the atmosphere there is nice as well, but the US is just unique. I traveled to 13 different US cities last year and in every city, there were so many fans. I now know why the US is such a strong country in women’s football. It’s also really common to see young girls playing football everywhere I go.

Seattle is a host city for the FIFA Club World Cup™ this summer, followed by the FIFA World Cup™ next year. How are you enjoying life in Seattle?

The weather in Seattle is like London, so I adjusted quite quickly. In the summer, Seattle is so beautiful. There’s nature and city life at the same time. I like going kayaking when I have more than one day to rest. I live by the lake and see people with their yachts having a good time. It’s best to visit Seattle in the summer. It’s beautiful.

Given you are already a vastly experienced player was there anything about playing in the U.S. that surprised you?

The football in the U.S. is very direct. The pace of the game here is faster than what I had thought. In England, they play a similar style as well, but in the U.S., it felt like the players were fitter, and more physically prepared for the game. On top of that, there are still many players with good technique. It was quite a surprise.

Having experienced club football in England and the U.S., what are some things that Korea Republic’s women’s side can do to continue their growth?

We have to make decisions quicker and be smarter in our play. It’ll be difficult for us to defeat stronger teams by running faster than them or by being technically dominant. Europeans and Americans are faster than us. They also have better technique so we must make quicker and smarter decisions to keep the ball. Our game plan should be based on how each opposing team play and we must prepare meticulously. Now, Korean players have strong physique and good technique, but I think we should focus on having our own unique strength. That’s how I felt after playing at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 after we were eliminated in the group stage.

You won the bronze medal at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany. You also won the Silver Ball and the Silver Shoe at the tournament. Did that experience help kickstart your career at senior level?

After the tournament, I went to Japan in 2011 after my initial talks with a U.S. team collapsed. That was the same year when Japan won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Seven of the 21 players who won the World Cup with Japan also played with me at INAC Kobe Leonessa. I improved so much as a player there. One player that I respect the most is Homare Sawa, and she was my teammate in Japan. I learned so much from her. That was such a great experience. My time in Japan is what made it possible for me to go to England.

Since the previous Women’s World Cup, it was another setback for Korea Republic to fail to qualify for the Olympics. With Asian Cup qualifying coming up, how confident are you about Korea recapturing their form?

We still have a lot of room to improve, but we’re starting to send more players abroad now. By no means am I saying that it’s bad to play in the WK League, but playing abroad provides an opportunity to experience a new environment. There are lessons to take from such an experience, which in turn will benefit our national team. I believe this is just the start for women’s football in Korea. Players who can move abroad should act whilst they can. That’s how we can help our national team.

You’re still considered one of the best players for the national team, but there will also come a time when your career will wind down. Have you had a chance to consider your future beyond this year?

I’m still doing my best to push myself. For now, it’s premature to talk about whether I’ll play at the Women’s World Cup in 2027. I don’t want to force myself for anything. I’m just going to put forth my best efforts every day, but I do want to stress that there’s still time left until my retirement. I plan on doing everything I can for a few more years. I’d love to have my fans tag along with me until my journey ends. I will keep going.

- The origianl text resource is from FIFA Official Website

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