Lee Hyo-kyeong

Lee Hyo-kyeong
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-02-12) 12 February 1997
Place of birth South Korea
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position Defender
Team information
Current team
 Gangjin Swans
Number 15
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018-2022 Albirex Niigata 4 (0)
2023-2025 Sejong Sportstoto
2026- Gangjin Swans
International career‡
2016 South Korea U20 2 (0)
2019 South Korea 3 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 26 November 2022
‡ National team caps and goals as of 03:45, 21 July 2026 (UTC)

Lee Hyo-kyeong (born 12 February 1997) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a defender for WK League club Gangjin Swans WFC.

Early life

Hailing from the southwestern city of Mokpo, Lee is the second of five sisters.[1] She began playing football while in the third grade at Mokpo Buseol Elementary School.[2] She was the first girl to play in the Mokpo Mayor's Cup football tournament, attracting the attention of local football coaches and scouts.[2] Her youngest sisters Lee Hyo-joo and Lee Ha-sun followed her into football, both playing at elite level as youths.[1][2]

Youth career

Upon graduating from elementary school, Lee pursued football more seriously, moving to Gwangyang, where she could play for the elite girls' academy side at Gwangyeong Middle School.[1] Lee continued her youth career at Gwangyang Girls' High School.[3] She then became the first Korean to play for a Japanese university side when she moved to Hokuriku University.[4] During her youth career, Lee suffered from a series of anterior cruciate ligament injuries.[2]

Club career

Lee signed with Albirex Niigata Ladies in 2018.[5] Having spent the 2018 season on the bench, Lee made her debut for Niigata in the club's first match of 2019 and went on to make 25 appearances in the 2019 Nadeshiko League season.[4]

Lee made her WE League debut with Albirex Niigata on 12 September 2021.[6][7]

Lee joined Sejong Sportstoto ahead of the 2023 WK League season.[8] She became club captain in 2024.[9]

In 2026 Lee moved to newly established side Gangjin Swans, becoming the club's first captain.[10] She scored the opening goal in the Swans' shock away win against Suwon FC in round 5 of the 2026 WK League.[11][12]

International career

Within a few months of deciding to pursue football seriously, Lee began playing for South Korea at youth level, serving as captain of the country's U-13 side.[2] She later also captained South Korea's U-16 side, including at the 2013 AFC U-16 Women's Championship.[13][14] Lee played for the South Korea U-20 team at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[5]

Lee received her first senior call-up for South Korea in 2019 ahead of a pair of friendly matches against the U.S.A.[15] She scored her debut international goal in 2024 in a friendly against Canada.[16]

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition Ref.
1.3 December 2024Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain Canada1–31–5Friendly [16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ji, Jung-eun (27 June 2011). ""광양에서 축구로 행복 그려가요"" ["Drawing happiness through football in Gwangyang"]. Gwangyang News (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Lee, Hyo-bin (22 November 2017). "목포출신 최초 일본 여자축구팀 이효경 선수" [Lee Hyo-kyeong, the first Mokpo native to play for a Japanese women's football team]. Mokpo Simin Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Han, Kyu-bin (17 November 2024). "광양여고 출신 이효경·추효주·민유경, 신상우호 승선" [Gwangyang Girls' High alums Lee Hyo-kyeong, Choo Hyo-joo, Min Yu-kyung included in Shin Sang-woo's squad]. Jinilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 Jang, So-yeon (24 May 2023). "일본 갔다 한국 온 이효경 "국가대표 꿈 이루려 WK리그 왔다"" [Lee Hyo-kyeong, who returned to Korea from Japan: "I came to the WK League to achieve my national team dreams"] (in Korean). Korea Football Association. Retrieved 21 July 2026 – via Naver Blog.
  5. 1 2 Kim, Yong-il (22 January 2018). "U-20 여자 축구대표 출신 수비수 이효경, 日 니가타 알비렉스 입단" [Defender Lee Hyo-kyeong, formerly of U-20 women's national team, joins Japan's Albirex Niigata]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026 – via Nate Sports.
  6. ↑ "イヒョギョン | アルビレックス新潟レディース 公式ホームページ". Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  7. ↑ "Scoresheet" (PDF). weleague.jp. September 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "23시즌 홈 개막전 치른 스포츠토토여자축구단,새 얼굴과 함께 플레이오프 도전" [Ahead of 2023 season home opener, Sportstoto WFC aim for playoffs with some new faces]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). 27 March 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  9. ↑ Han, Dong-hun (19 March 2024). "'女축구 레전드' 전가을 은퇴식, 21일 스포츠토토 홈개막전서 거행한다" [Retirement ceremony for 'women's football legend' Jeon Ga-eul to be held on 21st at Sportstoto home opener]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Lee, Hyo-bin (21 March 2026). "전남 최초 여자축구프로팀 탄생… '강진스완스WFC' 창단" [Jeonnam's first professional women's football team 'Gangjin Swans WFC' founded]. Women News (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Cho, Sung-ryong (2 May 2026). "'선제골' 강진 이효경 "지난 2월에 부친상, 골 넣고 하늘을 보게 되더라"" [Gangjin's 'opening goalscorer' Lee Hyo-kyeong: "After the death of my father in February, I looked to the sky after scoring a goal"]. Sportsnius (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Bae, Soo-jin (2 May 2026). "강진 고현호 감독·이효경 선수, "앞으로 더 나은 경기력 보여주겠다"" [Gangjin manager Go Hyun-ho, Lee Hyo-kyeong: "We'll show better matches in future"]. Queensfield (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Son, Chun-geun (16 April 2013). "U-16 여자대표팀 주장 이효경' "꼭 세계대회에 가고 싶어요"" [U-16 women's national team captain Lee Hyo-kyeong: "I really want to go to an international tournament"]. Korea Football Association (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Lee, Kyun-jae (16 September 2013). "AFC U-16 여자 챔피언십 나설 태극 여전사 확정" [Taegeuk Warriors confirmed for AFC U-16 Women's Championship]. OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026 – via Nate Sports.
  15. ↑ "'황인선 감독대행 체제' 여자축구 28일 소집…미국과 원정 2연전" [With Hwang In-sun as acting manager, women's football team gather on 28th for two friendlies against U.S.A.]. Hankyung (in Korean). 27 September 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  16. 1 2 Geum, Yun-ho (4 December 2024). "이효경 만회골' 여자축구대표팀, 캐나다 원정서 1-5 대패…신상우 감독 첫 승은 '또 다음 기회에'" [Consolation goal from Lee Hyo-kyeong as women's national team suffer 1-5 defeat away to Canada... 'Next time' for Shin Sang-woo's first win as manager]. MHN (in Korean). Retrieved 21 July 2026.
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