3. Cha Bum-Kun
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Cha Bum-Kun, the all-time leading scorer for the South Korean national team, was nicknamed ‘Boom’ for his ability to strike the ball with sheer force. One of the pioneers from Asia to ply his trade in Europe, Cha started off his stint in the German Bundesliga with SV Darmstadt 98. His aim was to learn the technical aspects and skills of the game and bring the knowledge back home to Korea.
After one season with Darmstadt, Cha went on to play for Eintracht Frankfurt where he found his footing, scoring 46 goals for the club and winning his first UEFA Cup in 1980. His move to Bayer Leverkusen resulted in more goals and he led the club to their first major tournament victory in 1988 – a UEFA Cup win, incidentally his second after a gap of 8 years.
Upon his return from a highly successful European stint, Cha opened up football centres in Korea and has coached the South Korean national team as well as clubs in the country’s domestic league. For his path-breaking achievements and contribution to football, he was voted ‘Asia's Player of the Century’ by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in 1999.
