The year he turned 14, he first kicked a ball with the Jungdong Middle School football team.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 19, he made his senior international debut at the King’s Cup as a first-year Yonsei University student, and his extra-time goal in the final against Thailand made his name.
In 1978, he won gold at the Bangkok Asian Games. The year he turned 25, he married the emcee Choi Mi-na and, after finishing his military service, joined PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands. In 1983, he returned to Korea after three seasons at PSV.
The year he turned 31, he marked Argentina’s Maradona in Korea’s opening match at the World Cup. It was Korea’s first World Cup in 32 years, and the scene of him kicking Maradona drew attention.
The year he turned 38, he became manager of the Pohang Atoms. In 1996, he moved to manage the Jeonnam Dragons. In 1998, he became national team manager through a technical committee vote. In 2000, Korea did not reach the quarterfinals at the Sydney Olympics and finished third at the Asian Cup in Lebanon.
The year he turned 49, he left his post as national team assistant coach after five months and returned as Jeonnam manager. In 2007, he became national team manager again after seven years. In 2009, Korea finished World Cup qualifying unbeaten in 14 straight matches. In 2010, he led Korea to its first World Cup last 16 on foreign soil in South Africa, and after leaving the national team he became manager of Incheon United.
The year he turned 57, he stepped down as Incheon manager over poor results. In 2013, he became vice president of the Korea Football Association. In 2015, he became vice president of the K League. In 2017, he met Maradona again at a U-20 World Cup event. In 2020, he became chairman of Daejeon Hana Citizen, a post he held through 2023.
The year he turned 69, he announced a run for president of the Korea Football Association. In 2025, a court granted an injunction that postponed the election, and he received 15 votes in the February vote. In 2026, he announced plans to found a club based in Incheon’s Seo District.
Huh Jung-moo (born Jan 13, 1955) made his senior international debut at the King’s Cup in 1974, the year he turned 19, and became known for his extra-time goal in the final against Thailand. In 1986, the year he turned 31, he marked Maradona in Korea’s World Cup match against Argentina on Jun 3, 1986, and as a manager he led Korea to its first World Cup last 16 on foreign soil in 2010, the year he turned 55.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
After finishing middle school and taking a year off, he came to Seoul and started playing football for the Jungdong Middle School team.
Source 01 · MBC Sports+ (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo interview · opens in a new tabIn his first year at Yonsei University, he was added to the national team when Lee Hoe-taek was injured, and made his senior international debut against Indonesia at the King’s Cup at Suphachalasai Stadium. He says it came six years after he started playing football.
Source 23 · Interfootball (Korean) · Suphachalasai Stadium and Korean football · opens in a new tabSource 25 · News1 (Korean) · Advice from a World Cup veteran · opens in a new tabSource 28 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo, the tenacious competitor · opens in a new tabSource 01 · MBC Sports+ (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo interview · opens in a new tab The day is not confirmed.He scored in extra time of the final against Thailand, and Korea won 3-1. News1 writes that Huh Jung-moo, a first-year university student, appeared like a comet, and he says this goal made him a star.
Korea shared the title with North Korea. He says he played in attack with Kim Jae-han and Cha Bum-kun.
Source 01 · MBC Sports+ (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo interview · opens in a new tabSource 31 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Legends on my Asian Games · opens in a new tab The day is not confirmed.He joined after finishing his military service. He says that at the time no Korean player other than Cha Bum-kun was playing in Europe.
Source 01 · MBC Sports+ (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo interview · opens in a new tab The month he joined is not confirmed.Married the emcee Choi Mi-na. Yonhap writes that the wedding of a football star and a female emcee drew attention.
Source 29 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Manager Huh’s silver wedding anniversary · opens in a new tabPSV finished second in the league in 1982-83. He says the club offered a two-year extension, but he went back to Korea.
Source 01 · MBC Sports+ (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo interview · opens in a new tab The month he returned is not confirmed.In Korea’s opening match at the World Cup finals, its first finals since 1954, 32 years earlier, he marked Maradona, and Korea lost 1-3. Maeil Business Newspaper writes that the scene of him kicking Maradona’s left thigh drew attention and that Argentine media coined the term “taekwondo football” for it.
Source 21 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · Maradona and Huh Jung-moo · opens in a new tabSource 22 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · Reunion with Maradona · opens in a new tabSource 01 · MBC Sports+ (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo interview · opens in a new tab The date is Korean time (3 a.m.).He managed the Pohang Atoms from 1993 to 1995.
Source 07 · Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · Back at Jeonnam · opens in a new tab The years follow the 1993-95 span given by Kyunghyang Shinmun in 2004; the month is not confirmed.He led Jeonnam from June 1996 through the 1998 season, winning the FA Cup and finishing second in the league.
Source 07 · Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · Back at Jeonnam · opens in a new tabAt 43, while Jeonnam manager, he received 5 votes in the technical committee’s second round and was appointed national team manager.
Source 03 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · National team manager appointed · opens in a new tabKorea lost 0-3 to Spain and beat Morocco and Chile 1-0 each, but lost out on goal difference and did not reach the quarterfinals.
Source 04 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · Huh’s squad at the Asian Cup · opens in a new tabSource 01 · MBC Sports+ (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo interview · opens in a new tab The dates of the tournament are not confirmed.Korea beat Iran in the quarterfinals but lost 1-2 to Saudi Arabia and finished third. The team returned to Korea that day.
Source 05 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Back from the Asian Cup · opens in a new tabSource 01 · MBC Sports+ (Korean) · Huh Jung-moo interview · opens in a new tabHe resigned five months after becoming assistant coach under manager Jo Bonfrère.
Source 06 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Assistant coach resigns · opens in a new tabHe returned to Jeonnam after six years, succeeding Lee Jang-soo.
Source 07 · Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · Back at Jeonnam · opens in a new tabHe was appointed manager of the senior national team again, seven years after his 1998-2000 spell.
Source 08 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Top 10 Korean football stories of 2007 · opens in a new tabKorea finished qualifying unbeaten in 14 straight matches (7 wins, 7 draws) across the third round and the final round.
Source 09 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · History of World Cup bids · opens in a new tab The month follows the article’s publication date; the day is not confirmed.A 2-2 draw with Nigeria left Korea second in the group (1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss) and secured its first place in the World Cup last 16 on foreign soil.
Source 10 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Right-back concerns · opens in a new tabSource 11 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Homecoming after first last 16 abroad · opens in a new tabSource 24 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Huh’s team reaches the last 16 · opens in a new tab The date is Korean time.After a 1-2 loss to Uruguay in the last 16, he gave up a new contract, saying he wanted to recharge. His spell since taking office in December 2007 lasted about two years and six months.
Source 12 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Huh gives up extension · opens in a new tabSource 11 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Homecoming after first last 16 abroad · opens in a new tabHe made his Incheon debut as manager in a K League match against Busan.
Source 13 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Incheon debut press conference · opens in a new tabHe resigned over poor results, and assistant coach Kim Bong-gil took over.
Source 14 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Incheon manager Kim Bong-gil · opens in a new tabHe was named vice president in the 52nd KFA leadership.
Source 15 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · 52nd KFA leadership · opens in a new tabHe was elected vice president at the board meeting and general assembly, and also chaired the match committee.
Source 16 · News1 (Korean) · League vice president elected · opens in a new tabHe met Maradona again at an event before the FIFA U-20 World Cup draw in Suwon. Maradona was given a photo of the 1986 scene and said he remembered it.
Source 22 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · Reunion with Maradona · opens in a new tabHe became chairman at the launch ceremony of Daejeon Hana Citizen, which made a fresh start with Hana Financial Group. Hwang Sun-hong was the first manager.
Source 17 · News1 (Korean) · A new start for Daejeon Hana Citizen · opens in a new tabHe served as chairman of the Daejeon Hana Citizen foundation through 2023.
Source 02 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Run for football association president · opens in a new tab The end of his term follows Hankook Ilbo’s Nov. 18, 2024 article (“until last year”); the month is not confirmed.He said he would run for president of the Korea Football Association. Hankook Ilbo writes that, born Jan. 13, he would still be under 70 on election day and so eligible under the association’s bylaws.
Source 02 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Run for football association president · opens in a new tabSource 30 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · The CEO-style manager Huh Jung-moo · opens in a new tab Segye Ilbo’s Jan. 8, 2007 article says he was registered as born in 1955 but was actually born in 1953.A day before the election, a court granted the injunction that candidate Huh Jung-moo had filed to stop the association president election. The KFA postponed the election date for now.
Source 18 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Court grants Huh’s injunction · opens in a new tabCandidate Chung Mong-gyu won with 156 votes, while candidate Huh Jung-moo received 15 and candidate Shin Moon-sun 11.
Source 19 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Football association president election result · opens in a new tabAt a press conference at Incheon City Hall, he said he would work to found a K League 2 club based in Incheon’s Seo District. He said the club would use Incheon Asiad Main Stadium as its home ground.
Source 20 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Incheon Seo District professional club · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1969–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
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Sports · South Korea
Jan 13, 1955 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1955: the year of the event minus 1955, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.02 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.