Bae Jun-ho poses at the joining ceremony of Stoke City.

Bae Joon-ho, who plays for Stoke City in the English Championship (second division), started in the 34th round of the 2023-2024 season against Cardiff City at Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on the 25th and scored his debut goal in the 41st minute of the first half.

Bae Jun-ho, a graduate of Jinwi High School, has received much attention since he was a high school student. “He is one notch higher than his peerage,” soccer insiders said in unison. Joining Daejeon Hana Citizen in the 2020 season, he gained experience through K-League 2 and promotion playoffs (PO) in his debut season. He has grown by taking the K-League 1 stage in earnest from the 2023 season.

It was the U-20 World Cup under the FIFA World Cup that made Bae known. In June last year, he made one goal and three assists in four matches as an ace player in the championship, leading his team to advance to the semifinals. European teams have shown keen interest in his moves. Leaving Daejeon in September, he built a nest in Stoke City and successfully advanced to Europe.

There were variables, too. Alex Neil, who hired Bae Joon-ho in December, left, and Steven Schumacher took the helm. Having solidified his position under Neil, Bae has renewed his competition to become the starting player. Having already adapted to the English stage, Bae immediately assumed the starting player position.

Then, he scored his long-awaited debut goal on the day. His concentration was remarkable. At the 41st minute of the first half when his team was trailing 0-2, Bae Joon-ho pushed in a ball that protruded from the opponent team’s goalkeeper’s defense, shaking the net. It was Bae Jun-ho’s dedication that kept his concentration until the end. Bae scored his debut goal in the European leagues in 28 games. 스포츠토토

Stoke lost 1-2, but Bae received a 7.4 rating, the highest in his team. According to the Sofa score, Bae succeeded in dribbling twice, key pass for 43 times, and created a critical opportunity once.

The Stoke Sentinel, a local media outlet, said, “The response was good when I scored a goal after winning a free kick,” adding, “I played well when I moved forward, such as flying with the ball.”