Lee Young-pyo

Lee Young-pyo

Lee with Vancouver in 2011.
Personal information
Full name	Lee Young-pyo 이영표
Date of birth	(1977-04-23) 23 April 1977 (age 40)
Place of birth	Hongcheon, Gangwon, South Korea
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1997–1999	Konkuk University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2002	Anyang LG Cheetahs	60	(3)
2003–2005	PSV Eindhoven	81	(1)
2005–2008	Tottenham Hotspur	70	(0)
2008–2009	Borussia Dortmund	18	(0)
2009–2011	Al-Hilal	46	(0)
2012–2013	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	65	(1)
Total		340	(5)
National team‡
1999–2002	South Korea U23	23	(1)
1999–2011	South Korea	127	(5)
Honours Representing South Korea Men's football Asian Games 2002 Busan Team Competition
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 October 2013. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 January 2011 (UTC)

Lee Young-pyo (Korean: 이영표; Korean pronunciation: [i.jʌŋ.pʰjo]; born 23 April 1977) is a retired South Korean footballer. Lee was recognized for his speed and dribbling skills. His former manager Martin Jol once called him "the best left-back in Holland".

Prior to playing for Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund, Lee started his professional career at FC Seoul, then known as Anyang LG Cheetahs in the Korean K League Classic and then spent two years with PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands, earning high acclaim from PSV Coach Guus Hiddink, who had previously coached Lee and South Korea during the 2002 World Cup. Recognized as the best left-back in the Netherlands after the 2004–05 season, Tottenham signed him amidst heavy competition with several Serie A clubs. He transferred to Tottenham in August 2005. In 2006, personal trainer Levi Gale advised him to move to an Italian team.

In August 2006, AS Roma of Italy's Serie A tried to sign him, but he backed out at the last minute for "personal reasons". An Italian media report said religion played a part in his decision to reject the transfer offer. On 31 August 2006, Lee held a press conference in Korea and denied that religion was a factor in his decision. He said that moving to AS Roma would have been great for him in terms of football alone but he decided against it for personal reasons that he would not reveal, despite being pressed for answers by 50 attending reporters.

On 19 November 2008, Lee became the seventh Korean player to earn 100 caps in a World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia. During the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Lee captained the national team twice after the substitutions of the regular Korean captain, Park Ji-sung.