Stats by Nakayama#9, updated by ttt1009

Name: KIM Tae-young

Nickname: "Apache", "Mask Man"



Country: South Korea
Club: Chunnam Dragons (Jeonnam Dragons)
Position: *CB
Number: 7 | 13
Side: RF/BS
Age: 28-32 years (08/11/1970)

Height: 178 cm
Weight: 73 kg

Attack: 61
Defence: 78
Balance: 82
Stamina: 82
Top Speed: 85
Acceleration: 81
Response: 85
Agility: 80
Dribble Accuracy: 70
Dribble Speed: 74
Short Pass Accuracy: 72
Short Pass Speed: 74
Long Pass Accuracy: 75
Long Pass Speed: 78
Shot Accuracy: 60
Shot Power: 83
Shot Technique: 59
Free Kick Accuracy: 61
Curling: 63
Header: 78
Jump: 86
Technique: 74
Aggression: 64
Mentality: 86
Keeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 78

Injury Tolerance: B
Form/Condition: 5
Weak Foot Accuracy: 7
Weak Foot frequency: 7
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Late/Lasting


CARDS:
S07: Man Marking
S08: Slide Tackle

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Marking - Sliding

Attack / Defence Awareness Card: Defence Minded


INFO:

Kim Tae-young is a South Korean former international defender who built a long, consistent career as a trusted presence in the back line before moving into coaching. After developing at Dong-A University, he began professionally with Kookmin Bank and then spent the heart of his club career at Jeonnam Dragons (1995–2005), where he became a fixture for a decade. Internationally, he earned over 100 caps for South Korea and appeared at both the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, playing his part in the disciplined defensive platform that underpinned South Korea’s historic fourth-place finish in 2002. He’s also remembered culturally for playing through injuries—most famously wearing a protective face mask after a broken nose in 2002—an image that still gets referenced when Korean players wear similar protection today.

Kim combined aggression with practicality. Although naturally right-footed, he trained his left foot to a high level, which helped him operate comfortably on the left side and distribute from deeper areas. He was strong and quick over the ground, able to match runners and step into challenges, and he combined that athletic base with good stamina, concentration, and a resilient mentality—traits that made him steady across long matches and high-pressure tournaments. He was decent in the air and could hit longer passes cleanly when switching play or relieving pressure, giving him utility beyond pure tackling and marking. The trade-off was that he could sometimes become a little too ball-focused—stepping toward challenges and getting drawn out of his line—which could open gaps if teammates didn’t cover behind him.