This South Korean Football Player Has Gone Viral After His 2022 FIFA World Cup Appearance

The South Korean football team, which tied against Uruguay and was defeated by Ghana so far in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, has gone viral for one of its players -- Cho Gue-sung, also known as player No. 9.

The athlete, born on January 25, 1998, has caught the attention of viewers worldwide ever since his first appearance in the second half of Korea's match against Uruguay. The 24-year-old went from roughly 46,000 followers to 293,000 followers on Instagram by the end of the match, and is at 1.5 million followers as of writing, following his two goals against Ghana on November 28.

Social media has since been flooded with video edits of the football star, with new fans taking to Twitter to comment on his looks. "Cho gue sung is so handsome wtf," a user wrote. Another commented, "Last time I checked, he had 400k followers on IG and now he has 1.4??!?!?!?!?"

Cho currently plays for the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. He initially played for his school Gwangju University, later becoming the top goalscorer in the 2022 K League 1. The athlete took headlines after scoring two goals within three minutes during South Korea's latest match against Ghana.

Peep some of Cho's best football moments as well as a few facts to know about him down below.

1. Both of his parents were also athletes.

Cho's father was part of an early morning soccer club while his mother used to be a professional volleyball player.

2. He almost gave up on his sports career in his teenage years.

Cho was told in his teenage years that he wouldn't be successful as a soccer player. He told his mother that he would try playing soccer for a few more months before giving up, and that if he didn't make it, he would start preparing for exams to become a civil servant. He never gave up and eventually continued to pursue his dream as a soccer player.

3. He wasn't always considered the best footballer.

When Cho first began playing soccer in his childhood, he spent most of his game time on the bench for his short height compared to his peers.

4. He wasn't always a striker.

Before discovering his talent as a striker, Cho mostly played as a defensive midfielder during his college years. He eventually ended up on the bench until his coach at the time recognized that he could play a striker instead. He eventually became a well-rounded striker, later becoming one of the key players on his team before signing with the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

5. He is the first Asian to score two headers in a single World Cup game.

During South Korea's latest game against Ghana, Cho became the first Asian to score two headers in a single World Cup game. He scored the two goals within a span of three minutes.