FC Seoul

History

Main article: History of FC Seoul

Founding and early years (1983–1989)

FC Seoul held an official founding ceremony on December 22, 1983, following the official announcement of its founding in August of that year. The club was initially named Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso Football Club. Owned and financially supported by the Lucky-Goldstar Group, it became the fifth professional football team in South Korea. The founding hometown was assigned to Chungcheong Province, and its mascot became a bull.

To establish a professional football club, the Lucky-Goldstar Group had a preparatory period since 1982 and requested that the franchise be located in Seoul. In the 1984 season, the club finished seventh out of eight clubs. The club fared better in the 1985 season, winning the league title with the help of Thai international Piyapong Pue-on, who was the league's top scorer as well as the top assist provider.

Moving to Seoul and then to Anyang (1990–2003)

From the beginning of 1988, Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso pushed forward a relocation to Seoul At the end of the 1989 season, the Korea Professional Football League (renamed as the K League in 1998), worried about the financial stability of the clubs, invited a number of clubs to play in Seoul. Thus, the Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso, which had always wanted to be based in the capital, moved to Seoul Stadium (Currently Dongdaemun Stadium) in Seoul at the end of 1989. The club finished first season in Seoul as champions. The club changed its name to LG Cheetahs in 1991 to mirror the LG Twins, a professional baseball team also owned by LG Group. After several seasons in Seoul, the club was forced to move in 1996, as part of the K League's decentralization policy. This policy was carried out to stimulate the growth of football in the provinces. In addition, in 1995, Korea was bidding to host the 2002 FIFA World Cup. This warranted the construction of a soccer-specific stadium in Seoul. The three clubs based in Seoul – LG Cheetahs, Ilhwa Chunma, and Yukong Elephants did not want to recognize the decentralization policy. Ultimately, it proved necessary for the Korean government to issue an eviction order to the disaffected clubs. However, the government did guarantee if the clubs built a soccer-specific stadium in Seoul, the clubs could have a Seoul franchise and return to Seoul.

As a result, 3 clubs were evicted from Seoul to other cities. This entailed the move of the LG Cheetahs to the Anyang Sports Complex in the city of Anyang, a satellite city of Seoul, 21 km away. The club was now known as the Anyang LG Cheetahs. In the upcoming years, a solid base of supporters was formed, and it established a strong league rivalry with the Suwon Samsung Bluewings. This rivalry was partly fueled by the fact that LG Group and Samsung Group, which owned the Suwon club, were also considered rivals in the business world, especially in electronics. The club continued to grow and in 2000, they won their third Championship, behind the firepower of striker Choi Yong-Soo.

Return to Seoul and renaming to FC Seoul (2004–2006)

For the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, ten brand new stadiums of World Cup standards were built in South Korea. After the World Cup, the Korean World Cup Organizing Committee and the KFA actively supported the move of regional K League clubs into the new stadia. This was designed to avoid or at least minimize any financial losses through having to maintain a stadium in playing condition without regular income. However, due to the previous decision by the K League to exclude any member club from being based in Seoul, Seoul World Cup Stadium remained vacant, except as a host of some international friendlies. Thus, the city government of Seoul and the KFA both actively sought for a K League club to play at the stadium to take on the cost of maintaining the stadium. Initially, it was intended to create a new club, but when it later transpired that any club playing in Seoul World Cup Stadium would have to pay partially for the construction fees of the stadium, this would have placed an unreasonable burden on a fledgling club. Thus, the KFA tried to lure one of the current clubs to Seoul. The Anyang LG Cheetahs, with the financial backing of the LG Group, who not only viewed the move back to Seoul as a way to increase its advertising presence, but had the right to come back to Seoul because it had its franchise moved by force in 1996, as part of the K League's decentralization policy. Anyang LG announced in February 2004 that it would pay the share of the construction fees (which turned out to be 15 billion won, or at that time US$15 million). This proposed move provoked a significant amount of controversy from the Korean football fans as KFA and K League failed to launch a new football club based in Seoul due to a high Seoul franchise fee. Regardless, KFA and K League ultimately permitted relocation of Anyang LG Cheetahs.

Şenol Güneş years (2007–2009)

Şenol Güneş managed FC Seoul for a three-year period starting on December 8, 2006. The club started the 2007 season with three consecutive wins and a draw, including a 4–1 win over arch rivals Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the Super Match. However, FC Seoul failed to qualify for the play-off phase of the season, but the club succeeded in getting into the final of the 2007 Korean League Cup. Before the next season, Park Chu-young, the ace of FC Seoul at that time, was transferred to Ligue 1 club Monaco. FC Seoul finished in a second-place in the K League regular season, and progressed to the play-offs. FC Seoul defeated Ulsan Hyundai in the play-off semi-final but was defeated by Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the final. Despite the loss, the club still qualified for the 2009 AFC Champions League. During the season, Dejan Damjanović scored 15 goals.

FC Seoul's 2009 AFC Champions League campaign began with a 2–1 win over Indonesian side Sriwijaya FC. In the next three games, FC Seoul obtained only one point in the matches against Gamba Osaka and Shandong Luneng. However, Seoul then defeated the title holders Gamba Osaka and qualified to the round of 16 after Sriwijaya's unexpected victory over Shandong Luneng. On June 24, 2009, FC Seoul beat Kashima Antlers 5–4 after penalties after a 0–0 draw in the round of 16 clash and advanced to the quarter-finals, but were beaten 4–3 on aggregate by Qatari club Umm Salal. FC Seoul's appearance in the AFC Champions League was its first since the Asian Club Championship era.

The Şenol Güneş era ended on November 25, 2009, with the manager returning to Trabzonspor.

K League and League Cup "double" (2010)

FC Seoul appointed Nelo Vingada as manager on December 14, 2009. Vingada won the K League and League Cup with FC Seoul. FC Seoul had 20 wins, 2 draws, and 6 defeats in the domestic league under Vingada's management.

FC Seoul recorded an attendance of 60,747 against Seongnam Ilhwa on May 5, 2010, at Seoul World Cup Stadium, which is the highest single-game attendance record in South Korean professional sports history. FC Seoul also recorded the single season (League, K League Championship, and League Cup) highest total attendance record – 546,397, and the single regular & post season (League and K League Championship) highest average attendance record of 32,576.

On August 25, 2010, FC Seoul beat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3–0 to become the 2010 League Cup winners. FC Seoul were also crowned K League champions by defeating Jeju United 4–3 on aggregate in the K League Championship final, thus achieving their first "double" in the club's history. The crowd of 56,769 in the second leg also set the record of the highest attendance in K League Championship history.

On December 13, 2010, FC Seoul wanted to extend Vingada's one-year contract but FC Seoul and Vingada could not come to an agreement over the salary conditions, resulting in Vingada returning to Portugal.

AFC Champions League final and the sixth K League title (2011–2016)

FC Seoul's former player Choi Yong-soo was hired to manage the club in 2012, after previously serving as the assistant manager and caretaker for the club in 2011. In 2013, FC Seoul lost the AFC Champions League final on away goals rule against Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande. The AFC Champions League campaign has earned Choi Yong-soo the 2013 AFC Coach of the Year award, becoming the second South Korean in succession to win the individual accolade following the previous year's winner Kim Ho-kon. Choi left the club in June 2016.

On June 21, 2016, FC Seoul appointed Hwang Sun-hong as their eleventh manager in the club's history. On November 6, 2016, FC Seoul won their sixth K League title after defeating Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–0 in the final round of the season.

A period of oscillation (2017–present)

Hwang Sun-hong resigned on April 30, 2018. In the 2018 season, FC Seoul finished in eleventh place and had to play the K League promotion-relegation playoffs for the first time in their history. In the playoffs, they defeated Busan IPark 4–2 on aggregate, thus staying in the top flight.

On October 11, 2018, Choi Yong-soo was appointed as the twelfth manager in the club's history, having previously managed the club between 2011 and 2016.

During the 2020 season, FC Seoul lost five consecutive games for the first time in 22 years. Following a new departure by Choi Yong-soo, three different caretakers took turns managing the team, with Park Hyuk-soon replacing Kim Ho-young after just a month and guiding the team to the end of the K League season, which they finished in ninth place, before being substituted by Lee Won-jun; under his management, the team made a promising start in the group stage of the 2020 AFC Champions League, even obtaining a 5–0 victory against Thai outfit Chiangrai United, but then proceeded to lose all of their last three matches, thus being eliminated from the tournament. A difficult season was made even more devastating by the death of defender Kim Nam-chun on October 30, 2020, just a day before their last K League 1 fixture against Incheon United.

In the 2024 K League 1 season, the club broke average attendance records due to a recovery of the league itself and the signing of Jesse Lingard, as the club finished in the top half of K League 1 for the first time since 2019 and qualified for the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite. Lingard was appointed captain ahead of the 2025 season, but left the club after a disappointing sixth-place league finish, scoring against A-League side Melbourne City in the Champions League in his last game for Seoul.

Club culture

Supporters

FC Seoul has a diverse fanbase, including former Lucky-Goldstar fans, LG Cheetahs fans, and Anyang LG Cheetahs fans. The club's number 12 shirt is reserved for supporters of the club. The main supporters group of FC Seoul is called Suhoshin (meaning "guardian deity"), formed in April 2004.

Rivalries

The club's main rivalry is with Suwon Samsung Bluewings in a derby known as the Super Match, as two of the most successful teams in the Seoul Capital Area. The rivalry began during the Anyang LG Cheetahs era and has continued as the club was relocated to Seoul.

Other major rivalries include Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Jeonseol Match) and Incheon United (Gyeongin Derby). In an away match versus Incheon in May 2024, the home fans at the Incheon Football Stadium threw water bottles at Seoul players.

Fans of FC Anyang, a phoenix club that was founded in Anyang since the departure of Anyang LG Cheetahs, feel great animosity towards FC Seoul and a willingness to get their revenge on the pitch, with Anyang's fans lighting flares in a show of defiance in a 2017 Korean FA Cup match versus FC Seoul. Anyang's first-ever appearance in the 2025 K League 1 season allowed them to play against FC Seoul in a league match for the first time in the "Relocation Derby."

V-Girls and V-Man

V-Girls & V-Man are FC Seoul's cheerleaders. The V stands for victory. They cheerlead at the East Stand.

Stadiums

Main article: Seoul World Cup Stadium, GS Champions Park

Since 2004, FC Seoul's home is the Seoul World Cup Stadium, which is the largest football-specific stadium in South Korea. FC Seoul's players train at the GS Champions Park training center, a purpose-built facility completed in 1989 located east of Seoul in the city of Guri, where the club's academy is also based.

In the past, FC Seoul played at Daejeon Stadium, Cheongju Civic Stadium, Cheonan Oryong Stadium (1987–1989), Dongdaemun Stadium (1990–1995), and Anyang Stadium (1996–2003).

Crests and mascots

FC Seoul has had different names, and consequently different crests for different periods of the club: Lucky-Goldstar FC (1983–1990), LG Cheetahs (1991–1995), Anyang LG Cheetahs (1996–2003).

There has also been different club mascots representing different periods. Former mascots were a bull and a cheetah. The club's current mascot, introduced in 2004, is named "SSID".

The "SSID" stands for Seoul & Sun In Dream. In the 2018 season, FC Seoul added another mascot, "Seoul-i".

A special crest for the club's 20th anniversary was used in 2003. The current crest has been used since 2004.

Kits

FC Seoul's home kits have red and black stripes, as in their crest.

FC Seoul wore both red kits and yellow kits in home matches from 1984 to 1985.

From 1988 to 1994, the club's home shirt's main colour was yellow, same as the Lucky-Goldstar Group's company colour at the time.

In 1995, Lucky-Goldstar Group pushed ahead with corporate identity unification and the company colour was changed to red. As a result, FC Seoul's jersey colour was changed from yellow to red as part of the unification project.

From 1999 to 2001, FC Seoul wore red and blue stripes but returned to all red in the 2002 season and In 2005, FC Seoul changed to red and black stripes and this colour has been in use since.

In June 2016, FC Seoul released the 1984–1985 retro jersey to commemorate foundation of the club and the first K League title.

First kit summary

;Notes

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Kit deals

Players

Current squad

Out on loan and military service

Former players

Player records

Retired number(s)

Main article: List of retired numbers in association football

12 – Supporters (the 12th player)

13 – Go Yo-han

Captains

Honours

Domestic

• K League 1
  • Winners (6): 1985, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2012, 2016
  • Runners-up (5): 1986, 1989, 1993, 2001, 2008
• Korean FA Cup
  • Winners (2): 1998, 2015
  • Runners-up (3): 2014, 2016, 2022
• Korean League Cup
  • Winners (2): 2006, 2010
  • Runners-up (4): 1992, 1994, 1999, 2007
• Korean Super Cup
  • Winners (1): 2001
  • Runners-up (1): 1999
• Korean National Football Championship
  • Winners (1): 1988

Continental

• AFC Champions League
  • Runners-up (2): 2001–02, 2013

Records and statistics

Season-by-season records

• The 1993, 1998, 1999 and 2000 seasons had penalty shoot-outs instead of draws.

K League Championship records

K League promotion-relegation playoffs

Managerial history

• For details on all-time manager statistics, see List of FC Seoul managers.

Management

Board of directors

Chairman history

Ownership

Popular culture

FC Seoul and FC Seoul supporters have been portrayed in a number of Korean dramas and movies:

• Dramas: Which Star Are You From, Heading to the Ground (as a fictional team called "FC Soul"), A Thousand Kisses
• Movies: Secret Romance, Dancing Queen, Running Man, Big Match, Salut d'Amour

References

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