Professional soccer K League 1 Incheon United confirmed the recruitment of Shin Jin-ho, the “League’s Best Midfielder,” as a New Year’s Day gift for fans in the 2023 season.
The Incheon club announced on the 20th that it had recruited top-class midfielder Shin Jin-ho (34), who played for Pohang Steelers, FC Seoul, Ulsan Hyundai, Qatar League’s Qatar SC, Al Saileyah SC, and UAE Club’s Emirates Club. His contract is for 3 years until 2025. <Exclusive report from this magazine on the 17th>
Shin Jin-ho, who went through the Pohang youth team, made his professional debut in Pohang in the 2011 season after attending Yeungnam University. The following year, he recorded 1 goal and 6 assists in 23 league games, showing a relaxed and creative appearance even as a rookie. In the 2013 season, his ability was recognized and he advanced to the Middle East and played an active part in Qatar SC, Al Sailiyah SC (above Qatar), and Emirates Club (United Arab Emirates). After going through Seoul, Ulsan, and Pohang, Shin Jin-ho now starts a new challenge in Incheon.
The greatest strength of Shin Jin-ho, who participated in 257 K-League games and recorded 18 points and 50 assists, is his experience. In particular, he experienced the 2012 FA Cup victory in Pohang, and led the Asian Champions League victory as Ulsan captain in the 2020 season. In the 2022 season, he was selected as the K-League 1 Best 11 midfielder for Pohang and showed off his peak skills. His experience is expected to be of great help to Incheon, which will be on the stage of the Asian Champions League to mark the 20th anniversary of the club’s founding in the 2023 season. 안전놀이터
With the addition of Shin Jin-ho, who has sophisticated kicking ability, vigorous activity, and defensive power, Incheon is expected to build a more powerful waistline with Lee Myung-joo, Yeoreum, Lee Dong-soo, and Lee Kang-hyun. In particular, it is expected to work with Lee Myung-joo, a ‘soul mate’ who worked together at Yeungnam University and Pohang. The two have led Pohang to win the FA Cup and rank third in the league with a lot of activity and organic passes.
Shin Jin-ho, who will join the team’s winter training camp in Chiang Mai, Thailand after completing all joining procedures such as medical tests, said, “I prepared a special traditional official official as a New Year’s Day gift, and I hope it can be a New Year’s gift to the fans.” So, I want to help Incheon, which is challenging the Asian stage in the New Year of the Cat, achieve the best results.”
On the other hand, Shin Jin-ho’s official (enlistment) filming took place ahead of the Lunar New Year’s Day, a major national holiday, at ‘Incheon Hyanggyo’ (an educational institution in the Joseon Dynasty) and ‘Incheon Dohobu Gwana’ (a government office building in the Joseon Dynasty), which are tangible cultural assets of Incheon Metropolitan City. Since 2022, the Incheon club has been holding a special ‘New Year’s Day’ (New Year’s Official) to honor the tradition in commemoration of New Year’s Day, a holiday that honors the first day of the year for our ancestors. On Lunar New Year’s Day last year, Lee Myung-joo wore a traditional Korean hanbok and took an official photo shoot.