Ji So-Yun

Club career

Ji had long hoped to play in the United States but considering a potential move too risky, she decided to sign a contract with Nadeshiko League side INAC Kobe Leonessa, initially joining the club for one year. Ji played for INAC Kobe for three years, making 48 appearances and scoring 21 goals in total, helping the side to win three consecutive Nadeshiko League titles. She was named in the league's Best XI in 2012 and 2013.

In November 2013, Ji was subject to a transfer bid from English club Chelsea. She agreed to a two-year contract in January 2014. When the transfer was officially confirmed later that month, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said of Ji: "She is one of the best midfielders in the world and our fans will love her." In one of her final matches for the Japanese club, Ji scored against her soon-to-be new club, Chelsea, in the International Women's Club Championship final.

Ji was named Players' Player of the Year after her first season in England, as Chelsea narrowly missed out on the FA WSL 1 title on the last day of the season. She was named PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year in April 2015 and was also named in the PFA WSL Team of the Year.

In the 2015 FA Women's Cup final, staged at Wembley Stadium for the first time, Ji scored the only goal of the match to win the cup for Chelsea. In October 2015 she also scored in Chelsea's 4–0 win over Sunderland which secured the club's first FA WSL 1 title and a league and cup double.

Ji made her 100th appearance for Chelsea in a 1–1 draw against Arsenal on 1 April 2018 in the middle of the 2017–18 season. She once again contributed to her club's double, as well as helped them advance to the semi-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League in that season.

On 29 August 2020, Ji led Chelsea to a 2–0 win over Manchester City by performing the role of the key playmaker in the Women's FA Community Shield, held for the first time since 2008. She was named the Player of the Match by BBC, which broadcast the match. At the end of 2020, she was on the list of eleven nominees for The Best FIFA Women's Player award alongside her teammates Pernille Harder and Sam Kerr. In the light of her performances for Chelsea over the years and the instrumental role she played in Chelsea's 2020–21 FA WSL winning team, Suzanne Wrack of The Guardian claimed that Ji was the best foreign player in the history of WSL. Chelsea won all domestic cups in addition to the league title during the season, achieving a quadruple.

After spending eight years with Chelsea, Ji left the club following the 2021–22 season. She made over 200 appearances and scored 68 goals in all competitions, and won six league titles, four FA Cups, two league cups, and one Community Shield.

On 24 May 2022, Ji returned to her homeland and joined WK League side Suwon FC, her first spell with a South Korean club. On her WK League debut on 18 August 2022, she scored a brace in a 3–0 victory against Boeun Sangmu. She had helped Suwon advance to the final at the 2023 WK League, and scored two goals in a 3–1 first leg win over Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels. Despite her effort, her club lost 7–5 on aggregate after the second leg.

On 24 January 2024, the National Women's Soccer League club Seattle Reign FC announced that they had signed Ji on a two-year contract through the 2025 season.

After spending two seasons with the Reign, including a loan spell at Women's Super League 2 club Birmingham City, Ji rejoined her former club Suwon FC in January 2026. During the 2025–26 AFC Women's Champions League, she scored the opener in the 4–0 quarter-final win over Wuhan Jianghan University, but missed a penalty in the 2–1 semi-final loss to North Korean club Naegohyang.

International career Ji represented South Korea at senior level before appearing at youth level. In October 2006, she made her senior team debut while playing at the 2006 Peace Queen Cup. On 30 November 2006, she became the youngest goalscorer for the South Korean senior team after scoring two goals against Chinese Taipei at the 2006 Asian Games.

Ji played for the South Korea under-17s at the 2007 AFC U-16 Women's Championship and the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. She scored two goals in four matches at the U-17 World Cup. She showed her goal scoring ability at both tournaments, becoming the top goalscorer at the AFC U-19 Championship and the second top goalscorer at the U-20 World Cup, ultimately winning the Silver Ball and the Silver Shoe awards at the U-20 World Cup. After finishing as runners-up in Group E, South Korea reached the World Cup knockout stages for the first time.

Ahead of the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup final, Ji had scored four goals in the competition, including a crucial goal in a 1–0 win over Australia in the quarter-finals. She also scored a penalty that gave South Korea a 2–0 lead at half-time in the final against China. South Korea came close to winning their first major women's football title, but the final ended in a 3–2 defeat after conceding three goals in the second half.

Career statistics Club

International Scores and results list South Korea's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ji goal.

Honours INAC Kobe Leonessa Nadeshiko League: 2011, 2012, 2013 Empress's Cup: 2011, 2012, 2013 Nadeshiko League Cup: 2013 International Women's Club Championship: 2013

Chelsea AFC U-19 Women's Championship runner-up: 2009

South Korea Universiade

South Korea AFC Women's Asian Cup runner-up: 2022 Asian Games bronze medal: 2010, 2014, 2018 EAFF Championship: 2025

Individual Summer Universiade Most Valuable Player: 2009 IFFHS Asian Women's Team of the Year: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 IFFHS Asian Women's Team of All Time: 2021 Korean FA Women's Player of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024 WK League Midfielder of the Year: 2022, 2023 WK League top assist provider: 2023 FA Women's Players' Player of the Year: 2014 London Football Award for Women's Super League Player of the Year: 2015

Records South Korea all-time appearance leader: 176 appearances South Korea all-time top goalscorer: 75 goals