Yeo Min-ji

Yeo Min-ji
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-04-27) 27 April 1993
Place of birth Gimhae, South Korea
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 JEF United Chiba Ladies
Number 9
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 Gumi Sportstoto
2019–2020 Suwon UDC
2021–2024 Gyeongju KHNP 33 (15)
2025– JEF United Chiba Ladies 0 (0)
International career‡
2007–2010 South Korea U17 14 (22)
2011–2012 South Korea U20 7 (0)
2011– South Korea 52 (15)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals as of 28 March 2022
Yeo Min-ji
Hangul
여민지
Hanja
余敏智
RRYeo Minji
MRYŏ Minji
In this Korean name, the family name is Yeo.

Yeo Min-ji (Korean: 여민지; born 27 April 1993) is a South Korean footballer who plays as a forward for JEF United Chiba Ladies.

Early life

Yeo became interested in football as a child, playing together with her older brother.[1] She began training in earnest when she joined the football academy at Myeongseo Elementary School in Busan in the fourth grade.[2] She was the top goalscorer when her team achieved a clean sweep of all the domestic tournament titles in 2005.[3]

While playing for Haman Daesan High School and representing South Korea at youth level, Yeo sustained an injury to her right knee which required surgery.[4] Yeo later attended Ulsan College, where she was part of the winning team at the Korea Women's Football Championship.[5]

Club career

Following her performance at the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, Yeo was one of the most highly anticipated rookie players entering the WK League ahead of the 2014 season.[6] She was the third selection at the 2014 WK League new player draft, signing a three year contract with Chungbuk Sportstoto.[7]

In the 2018 season she made 23 appearances, scoring seven goals.[8] After five years with Sportstoto, she transferred to Suwon FMC.[8] From 2021 to 2024, she played for Gyeongju KHNP, where she was club captain from 2023-2024.[9] In March 2025, Korean media reported that Yeo's management had reached a deal with Norwegian club Kolbotn, pending a medical test.[10] However, after a few months away from club football Yeo eventually signed with WE League side JEF United Chiba Ladies.[11]

International career

Youth teams

Yeo played for South Korea at the 2009 AFC U-16 Women's Championship in Thailand, scoring two goals in the final against North Korea, which ended in a 4–0 victory and South Korea's first victory in this tournament.[12] She was the top goal scorer at the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, scoring eight goals and earning the nickname 'Yeo Messi', a reference to Lionel Messi.[5] South Korea beat Japan in the final to lift the trophy, becoming the first ever South Korean team to win a World Cup title.[13] Yeo won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the competition, and was subsequently named AFC Women's Youth Player of the Year.[14][15]

Yeo had trained with the national U-20 side since she was 14 years old, but missed out on the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup due to an ACL injury.[3]

Senior team

After her success in national youth teams, Yeo became a regular in the senior squad.[16] She was named in the squad for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada but was unable to play in the finals following a knee injury in training.[8][17] Yeo returned to the national team in 2019 as the side prepared for the 2019 World Cup.[18]

Style of play

From a young age, Yeo became known for her speed and dribbling.[2] Her ability to create and capitalise upon goalscoring opportunities was described as "world-class".[19]

Honours

International

Individual

References

  1. ^ Sagong, Hyo-eun (22 May 2019). "그라운드의 적막을 깨라" [Breaking the silence of the ground]. W Korea (in Korean). Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  2. ^ a b "'한국 여자축구의 미래를 만나다, 여민지 선수'" [Meet the future of Korean women's football, Yeo Min-ji]. News Daily (in Korean). 29 January 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b Byun, Hyeon-cheol; Jung, Tae-baek (17 September 2010). "U-17 여자월드컵 8강 나이지리아전 4골 1도움 여민지" [Yeo Min-ji, who recorded four goals and one assist against Nigeria in the U-17 Women's World Cup quarter final]. Busan Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  4. ^ Kim, Jason (26 September 2010). "'Golden' girl Yeo enters record books". JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  5. ^ a b Park, So-young (17 December 2013). "'여자 메시' 여민지, WK리그 3순위로 충북소포츠토토행" ['Female Messi' Yeo Min-ji heads for Sportstoto as third pick in WK League]. JTBC News (in Korean). Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  6. ^ "'여민지 어디로?' WK리그 신인 드래프트" ['Where will Yeo Min-ji go?' WK League rookie draft]. KBS News (in Korean). 10 December 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  7. ^ Choi, Song-ah (17 December 2013). "여민지, 3순위로 여자 실업축구 스포츠토토 입단" [Yeo Min-ji, enters Sportstoto as third pick in women's works football draft]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Lee, Dong-cheol (21 December 2018). "여자축구 FA최대어 여민지, 수원도시공사로 이적" [Yeo Min-ji, the biggest fish among free agents in women's football transfers to Suwon FMC]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  9. ^ Choi, Tae-moon (15 November 2021). "'1골 1도움' 여민지 "내가 아닌 경주한수원이 MVP"" [With one goal and one assist, Yeo Min-ji: "It's not me but Gyeongju KHNP who is the MVP"]. G Economy (in Korean). Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  10. ^ Lee, Ee-jin (14 March 2025). "U-17 여자월드컵 골든볼 여민지도 해외로... 노르웨이팀 입단 앞둬" [U-17 Women's World Cup Golden Ball winner Yeo Minji heading overseas... preparing to join Norwegian team]. Nate Sports (in Korean). Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  11. ^ Seo, Jung-hwan (18 June 2025). "'국대공격수' 여민지, 日WE리그 제프 유나이티드 입단 합의 "많은 것을 배우고 오겠다!"" ['National striker' Yeo Minji signs with WE League side JEF United in WE League: "I'll learn a lot while I'm there"]. Chosun Biz (in Korean). Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  12. ^ Park, Rin (15 November 2011). "女축구, 16세 이하 亞선수권 첫 우승...여민지 득점왕" [Champions for first time in AFC U-16 Women's Championship... Yeo Min-ji top goalscorer] (in Korean).
  13. ^ Kim, Chang-keum (27 September 2010). "U-17 team secures historic World Cup victory for S.Korea". Hankyoreh. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  14. ^ "Yeo wins AFC Womens Youth Player of Year award". The Korea Times. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  15. ^ "여민지, 한국 축구 '새역사' 썼다" [Yeo Min-ji wrote 'new history' of Korean football]. Gyeongbuk Ilbo (in Korean). 26 September 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  16. ^ Duerden, John (23 February 2015). "Star players to lead Women's World Cup". The Korea Times. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  17. ^ "South Korea's Yeo out of Women's World Cup". AFP News. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2025 – via Yahoo News.
  18. ^ "Past heroics inspire rejuvenated Yeo". FIFA. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  19. ^ Lee, Tae-cheol (24 September 2010). "여민지 "우승-득점왕-MVP도 내 것"" [Yeo Min-ji: "The trophy, the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball, they're all mine"]. Gyeongsang Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  20. ^ "Yeo Min Ji: I want to be the best". FIFA. 26 September 2010. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  21. ^ "Every U-17 Women's World Cup Golden Boot winner". FIFA. 6 November 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  22. ^ Son, Il-sun (6 December 2010). "여자축구 여민지·지소연 '대한민국 인재상'" [Women footballers Yeo Min-ji, Ji So-yun win 'Korea Talent Award']. YN News (in Korean). Retrieved 31 December 2025.
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