Koo Ja-cheol

Koo Ja-cheol
Koo with South Korea in 2017
Personal information
Full name Koo Ja-cheol
Date of birth (1989-02-27) 27 February 1989
Place of birth Nonsan, Chungnam, South Korea
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2004–2006 Boin High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Jeju United 70 (7)
2011–2014 VfL Wolfsburg 32 (0)
2012–2013FC Augsburg (loan) 36 (8)
2014–2015 Mainz 05 39 (6)
2015–2019 FC Augsburg 104 (14)
2019–2021 Al-Gharafa 38 (6)
2021 Al-Khor 8 (0)
2022–2024 Jeju United 28 (1)
International career
2007–2009 South Korea U20 16 (5)
2009–2012 South Korea U23 16 (5)
2008–2019 South Korea 76 (19)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  South Korea
Olympic Games
2012 LondonTeam
AFC Asian Cup
2015 AustraliaTeam
2011 QatarTeam
Asian Games
2010 GuangzhouTeam
EAFF Championship
2008 ChinaTeam
2010 JapanTeam
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 November 2024 (UTC)
Koo Ja-cheol
Hangul
구자철
Hanja
具滋哲
RRGu Jacheol
MRKu Chach'ŏl
Also spelled Gu Ja-chul or Ku Ja-chul

Koo Ja-cheol (Korean: 구자철; Korean pronunciation: [ku.dʑa.tɕʰʌl] or [ku] [tɕa.tɕʰʌl]; born 27 February 1989) is a South Korean former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Koo is one of the three most successful South Korean players with careers in the German Bundesliga, alongside Cha Bum-kun and Son Heung-min. He played for VfL Wolfsburg, FC Augsburg and Mainz 05 with 211 Bundesliga appearances. He also captained the South Korea national team in the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and won a bronze medal in the Summer Olympics.