Jeju United holds a special ‘retirement ceremony’.

Jeju announced the retirement of goalkeeper Yoo Yeon-soo on Aug. 8. The club announced through its official channel, “Yoo Yeon-soo, who was seriously injured in an unfortunate car accident just a year ago and is currently devoting himself to rehabilitation, will make his first appearance in front of fans in the 36th round of the ‘Hana OneQ K League 1 2023’ against FC Seoul at Jeju World Cup Stadium on the 11th. Sadly, this is his farewell as a player. I would like to thank all the fans for their interest and visits,” the club announced.

As the club announced, Yoo was involved in an accident with a drunk driver while traveling in a car with goalkeeping teammates Kim Dong-joon and Lim Jun-seop in Seogwipo city in the early hours of October last year. The other members of the group were not seriously injured. However, Yoo underwent emergency surgery and is still rehabilitating. His nerves are paralyzed in his lower body, making it difficult for him to perform daily activities without assistance.

About a year after the accident, Yoo decided to retire. Born in 1998, he was a promising backup goalkeeper for Jeju. He played eight games in Jeju’s jersey for three seasons, starting in 2020.

“After the surgery, I was more sad about not being able to play soccer than I was about not being able to walk,” Yoo said through the Jeju club. I felt the pain of someone stabbing me in the back and the difficulty of not being able to play soccer together. I felt so sorry for my family.” He added, “The words of Jeju officials, Jeju fans, fans of other teams, and players helped me. I’m rehabbing hard and getting over it. I am overcoming my sadness through soccer,” he said.

Yoo has decided to pursue Para sports in the future. She is preparing for the Paralympic Games (Paralympic Games) to open her second life. 무지개토토

Meanwhile, Jeju has kept Yoo’s back number, “31,” this season. They have introduced Yoo as a registered player in every match.

Jeju will hold an autograph session for Yoo before the game against Seoul on Nov. 11. It will be his first time meeting fans at home in over a year. At halftime, Yoo will come out onto the field to say a final goodbye to the home fans.