Cho Gue-sung looks to ride recovery straight to Europe

Qatar World Cup star Cho Gue-sung says the 2022 Qatar World Cup is just the beginning for his career, promising to improve his form with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors with an eye on a possible move to Europe this summer.

Cho Gue-sung [JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS]

Qatar World Cup star Cho Gue-sung says the 2022 Qatar World Cup is just the beginning for his career, promising to improve his form with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors with an eye on a possible move to Europe this summer.

Cho, 25, came to prominence at last year’s World Cup when he scored two goals against Ghana in a group stage game and became the first ever Korean player to score a brace in a World Cup match. But the young Jeongbuk striker is not interested in dwelling on his past success.

Cho Gue-sung scores a goal during a Group H match against Ghana at the 2022 Qatar World Cup at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Nov. 29, 2022. [YONHAP]

“The past is in the past and I want to leave it behind me,” Cho said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo last month. “I think that moment is over and I want people to look at the current me.”

Cho headed to the World Cup as the top scorer of the 2022 K League with 17 goals for Jeonbuk.

He has not been the same this season due to an injury he picked up in March, however, with just one goal scored in six league appearances so far as of press time.

With his injury fully recovered, Cho is looking to shine on the pitch again to help his side that has been struggling this season.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' Cho Gue-sung takes a penalty during a K Leauge game against the Suwon Samsung Bluewings at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla on March 5. [YONHAP]

Last season’s runners-up Jeonbuk sit in seventh place with five wins, three draws and seven losses as of June 1. Former manager Kim Sang-sik resigned on May 4, taking the blame for the disappointing results.

“Some bad things have happened this season, and I can’t deny that I am not responsible for it,” Cho said. “I just want to get back onto the pitch as early as possible. I trained with the team last week, and now I no longer feel any pain.”

Jeonbuk have scored 17 goals in 15 league games this season, but none of the players have managed more than three goals so far. Moon Seon-min and Song Min-kyu are the squad’s joint top scorers with three apiece.

Cho could help Jeonbuk climb up the standings, but only if he stays with the team through the season. As things stand right now, Cho is hoping to move to Europe this summer.

Cho received offers this winter from Scottish Premier Ship side Celtic, Bundesliga team FC Cologne and Major League Soccer club Minnesota United in January, but chose to stay in Korea. Jeonbuk reportedly promised that if he stayed in January, they would support a move this summer.

“I don’t have regrets at all,” Cho said. “I was not 100 percent fit during winter training. I thought that it would have been more challenging if I moved in the winter.

“I judged that it would be better to move in the summer when European teams plan a new project.”

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Technical Director and Korean football legend Park Ji-sung thinks that Cho should first move to a second-tier European club where he could learn to adapt to European football.

Cho says that Park told him he should aim to play in a lower-ranked team first, rather than going straight to one of Europe’s top five leagues.

“I agree,” Cho said. “Since I do not have experience on the European stage, I am considering gaining experience at a second-tier European League, although it is the right call to go to one of the top five leagues that everyone wants to play in, if there is an opportunity.

“Those around me like Park and my agent are trying to facilitate the move. I’ve regained my fitness and I believe a good opportunity will come if I play well and wait for the opportunity.”

Cho’s focus stays firmly on improving his form, despite his significant increased popularity with fans around the world.

He gained over 2 million Instagram followers after the Ghana game and received a surge of requests to participate in TV programs or advertisements, but only appeared in two TV shows — “I Live Alone” and “You Quiz on the Block.”

Cho Gue-sung, center, takes a picture with fans ahead of a Korean national team training session at Paju National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi on March 20. [YONHAP]

“I Live Alone” is a program that shows footage from selected celebrities’ everyday lives, both in and out of their homes, while “You Quiz on the Block” is a show in which host Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho enter people’s everyday lives, chat with them and give them surprise quizzes.

“I did not particularly want to go on TV shows just because I became famous, and I appeared on the two shows where I could speak about myself candidly,” Cho said. “I also thought it would be more important to prepare for the [upcoming] season.”

BY PARK RIN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]