Choe Yu-ri


Choe Yu-ri is a South Korean footballer who plays as a forward for WK League club Incheon [Hyundai Steel Red Angels WFC|Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels] and the South Korea women's national team.

Early life

Choe started playing football in elementary school, after a coach from the school's football team noticed her ability to run very fast at a school sports day. She is close friends with forward Lee Geum-min, who attended the same high school and college. Together with Jang Sel-gi, they have been called the '94 line trio', referring to their birth year and close teamwork having trained together with the national team since a young age.

Club career

Military enlistment refusal

In the 2015 WK League rookie player draft, Choe was selected by Busan Sangmu, a military team requiring all players to join the military and undertake basic training. At first, Choe stated that she would join the team despite reservations about joining the military, in particular the effect that such a career move would have upon her training with the national squad. However, she eventually refused to join the military, considering it an infringement of her freedom to choose a career. According to the rules of the WK League draft at the time, any player who refused to join their drafted team was not permitted to play in the league for two years, and as such Choe was absent from the WK League in 2015. Following the incident, the KWFF revised the rules of the draft with regards to the military team, and held a special draft for Choe to give her a second chance.

WK League

Choe was signed by Daejeon Sportstoto in late 2015, having missed only one season of league football. She played for the side for five years before transferring to Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels ahead of the 2021 season. At the 2022 WK League Women's Football Awards, the first annual awards ceremony of its type, she was named as the league's forward of the year. During her time with the Red Angels, Choe made 55 appearances, scoring 20 goals and providing six assists.

Birmingham City

Choe transferred to Birmingham City during the 2023 summer transfer window on a two-year deal with a year option. She scored her first goal for the club in an FA Cup tie against MK Dons in December of the same year.

Return to Incheon Hyundai Steel

Following the expiration of her contract at Birmingham in 2025, Choe returned to South Korea and joined her former club Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels.

Style of play

Besides her goal-scoring ability, Choe is known for her speed and stamina. Her high-intensity play has drawn comparisons to South Korean international midfielder Hwang Hee-chan. Since her youth, she played mostly as a midfielder or winger, but started playing in a more attacking role from the 2020 season onwards.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
114 September 2014Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon, South Korea5–05–02014 Asian Games
221 September 2014Munhak Stadium, Incheon, South Korea13–013–02014 Asian Games
311 November 2016Hong Kong Football Club Stadium, Happy Valley, Hong Kong8–014–02017 [EAFF E-1 Football Championship (women)|2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship]
414 November 2016Hong Kong Football Club Stadium, Happy Valley, Hong Kong8–09–02017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
523 September 2021Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan2–04–02022 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification
66 February 2022DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, India1–02–32022 AFC Women's Asian Cup
79 April 2022Goyang Stadium, Goyang, South Korea1–03–0Friendly
823 July 2022Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima, Japan1–01–12022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
93 September 2022Hwaseong Stadium, Hwaseong, South Korea1–01–0Friendly
105 April 2024Icheon City Stadium, Icheon, South Korea1–03–0Friendly
118 April 2024Icheon City Stadium, Icheon, South Korea2–02–1Friendly
1220 February 2025Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium, Al Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates3–03–02025 Pink Ladies Cup
1323 February 2025Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium, Al Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates2–04–02025 Pink Ladies Cup