The year he turned 22, he was picked for the Olympic team in his fourth year at Konkuk University, and in June he made his international debut against Mexico in the Korea Cup. In 2000, he made his pro debut with Anyang LG, and the team won the K League title that year. In 2001, he was named to the K League Best 11.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 25, at the Korea–Japan World Cup, he set up Park Ji-sung’s winner against Portugal and Ahn Jung-hwan’s golden goal against Italy. He had missed the two earlier matches with a calf injury.
In 2003, he moved to PSV Eindhoven, won the league title in his first season and married in June. In the spring of 2005, he reached the Champions League semifinals, and in August he became the second Korean in the Premier League as a Tottenham Hotspur player. In 2006, he played at the World Cup in Germany, and a move to AS Roma fell through just before signing when he chose not to go.
In 2008, he moved to Dortmund, and in November he reached 100 international matches. In 2009, he went to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. In 2010, he was part of Korea’s first away round of 16 at the South Africa World Cup. In January 2011, he retired from the national team after the Asian Cup, and in December he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps.
In 2013, he played his last match in Vancouver and retired. In 2014, he became a KBS commentator, and at the Brazil World Cup his predictions kept coming true and he was called Octopus Young-pyo. In 2018, he covered the Russia World Cup and published a book. In 2019, he left commentary to work as CEO of the startup Socks Up.
In late 2020, he was named chief executive of Gangwon FC. In 2021, he also served as a vice president of the Korea Football Association. In 2022, his contract was not renewed and he left Gangwon. In April 2023, he took responsibility for the pardon controversy and stepped down as vice president, and in May he returned to KBS commentary.
In 2024, he criticized the national team coach selection process on air. In 2026, he became Ulsan HD’s first outside director and covered the North America World Cup and the Aichi–Nagoya Asian Games for KBS.
Lee Young-pyo (born Apr 23, 1977) made his pro debut with Anyang LG in 2000, the year he turned 23, and became known on Jun 14, 2002, the year he turned 25, when he set up the winning goal against Portugal at the Korea–Japan World Cup. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2005, the year he turned 28.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.