Early career In June 2000, Song made his senior international debut against
Macedonia under manager
Huh Jung-moo when he was a university student. In 2001, Song started his professional career at
K League club
Busan I'Cons after graduating from
Yonsei University. He was named the
K League Rookie of the Year in his first season.
Guus Hiddink, a new manager of the
South Korea national team, quickly chose him as a member of the national team for the
2002 FIFA World Cup, and tested him in various midfield and defensive positions. As a result, he played as a
right-back at the tournament. While South Korea finished fourth at the 2002 World Cup, Song was the only outfield player of the national team to play all of 687 minutes in seven matches. He also nullified
Luís Figo perfectly by blocking all twelve of his dribbles without a concession, making a memorable match against
Portugal. He sometimes talks about his experience in marking Figo when appearing on South Korean television programs.
Feyenoord After the 2002 World Cup,
Tottenham Hotspur and
Arsenal approached Busan I'Cons to get Song, but Busan intentionally delayed negotiations in order to keep him. He strongly expressed his intention to leave for a European club by moving his belongings out of the club after his deals with
Premier League clubs were scuttled.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings In January 2005, Song joined K League club
Suwon Samsung Bluewings after leaving Feyenoord. Song was selected for the national team for the
2006 FIFA World Cup despite concern about his condition, playing the first group stage match against
Togo. He successfully obstructed opponents' striker
Emmanuel Adebayor, and provided an assist for teammate
Ahn Jung-hwan's winning goal. His performances against Togo were better than expected, but he was excluded from subsequent matches by manager
Dick Advocaat. Song became Suwon's key player after the 2006 World Cup, and received the armband in 2008. He scored the winning goal in the
2008 K League Championship final, leading his team to win a league title.
Retirement Song played for
Al-Shabab,
Ulsan Hyundai, and
Tianjin TEDA after leaving Suwon in the summer of 2010. He was released by Tianjin at the end of the 2011 season, and announced his retirement in March 2012. ==Personal life==