Cho Gue-sung is attracting interest from Europe says Lee Young-pyo

Former South Korean international Lee Young-pyo says that he has been contacted by a big club in Europe about striker Cho Gue-sung.

According to South Korean media outlet Financial News, Lee, who was speaking on CBS radio on Tuesday said:

"After the first game against Uruguay, the technical director of a very good club in Europe contacted me about a scout report for Cho Gue-sung."

Lee added that this person was someone he played with while at Borussia Dortmund and that they had asked about what kind of player Cho Gue-sung is, what his personality is like, is he a serious player among other things.

Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images

And this was before Cho had put two past Ghana and now Lee expects more teams from Europe to be interested in the Jeonbuk striker's services. 

Lee continued to sing Cho's praises by saying that he is already a "recognised player in K League" who can "shoot with both feet and can shoot very well regardless of the angle." 

As for Cho Guesung, he said that he had a feeling he was going to be selected to start the match against Ghana when manager Paulo Bento hinted at personnel changes to his starting lineup:

"In training, when the manager said that there will be changes, this is when I felt it (that I might be starting). I am really thankful for him believing in me. I played today's game as if it was my last."

[READ: K League Internationals: Cho Gue-sung enters World Cup history books]

Cho's brace etched his name into World Cup and South Korean football history by becoming the first from the country to score two goals in a single World Cup match.

He is also the first Asian player to score two headed goals in a World Cup match.

For the player himself, his popularity among South Korean football fans has exploded. His Instagram follower count has jumped to above 1.3 million from around 20,000 before Korea's first game, according to Segye Ilbo. This is an increase of more than sixty times.

Cho Gue-sung, 24, began his professional career with FC Anyang in 2019 and scored 14 goals in the second tier before sealing a move to K League giants Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

His first season at K League 1 level was less fruitful, though, scoring just four goals in 23 appearances before deciding to begin his military service early with Gimcheon Sangmu.

The following year, Cho scored seven in 25 for Gimcheon to help the army team win the 2021 K League 2 title and promotion.

Last season, Cho scored 13 in 23 for Gimcheon in the top tier before returning to Jeonbuk in autumn where he scored eight more, including four in the FA Cup to help Jeonbuk lift the trophy.

His brace for Korea against Ghana made it six goals in full internationals from 18 caps.

[READ: Paulo Bento to serve touchline ban for South Korea vs. Portugal]