Captain for title-winning team voted K League 1 MVP

▲ Lee Chung-yong of Ulsan Hyundai FC celebrates his goal against Jeju United during the clubs' K League 1 match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 23, 2022. (Yonhap)

▲ Ulsan Hyundai FC captain Lee Chung-yong hoists the K League 1 championship trophy during the club's title celebrations at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 23, 2022. (Yonhap)

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Captain for title-winning team voted K League 1 MVP

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Yonhap) -- Lee Chung-yong, captain of the K League 1 title-winning Ulsan Hyundai FC, was voted the most valuable player of the top South Korean football league on Monday.

Lee earned the top individual honor in the K League 1 in a landslide over three candidates, earning recognition for leading Ulsan to their first championship since 2005.

Head coaches (30 percent), captains (30 percent) and members of the media (40 percent) voted on the MVP award. Lee received 59 votes from the media, and six each from captains and head coaches, and his vote total was converted to 50.34 points. Pohang Steelers midfielder Sin Jin-ho was a distant second with 19.40 points, followed by Gangwon FC forward Kim Dae-won with 15.86 points and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors defender Kim Jin-su with 14.40 points.

Lee, 34, is the fifth Ulsan player to win MVP and first since Kim Bo-kyung in 2019. He is also the fourth-oldest MVP in K League history.

Lee started his professional career with another K League team, FC Seoul, and embarked on a European career in 2009 by signing with Bolton Wanderers. He returned to his native land in March 2020, signing what Ulsan claimed was "the largest contract in club history" at the time.

Lee didn't have gaudy offensive numbers this year, tallying only three goals and two assists in 35 matches, but his teammates, coaches and peers across the league have hailed Lee's leadership as a key ingredient behind Ulsan's title this year.

The "Lee Chung-yong for MVP" narrative began immediately after Ulsan locked down their title with a 2-1 victory over Gangwon FC on Oct. 16. Head coach Hong Myung-bo and a few Ulsan players, some of them unprompted, said Lee deserved to be the league MVP for what he meant to the best team in the competition.

The soft-spoken and reserved Lee previously said while he appreciated the support, he felt uncomfortable with the growing attention.

But Lee found himself under the brightest spotlight in the annual K League Awards ceremony Monday. Lee was also named to the K League 1 Best XI.

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