Where is Cho Gue-sung now? Fans revisit 2022 World Cup heartthrob after South Korea's win over Czech Republic

South Korea's dramatic comeback win over the Czech Republic at the 2026 FIFA World Cup gave fans plenty to celebrate, but for many viewers, the match also brought back memories of one of the tournament's most unexpected viral stars - Cho Gue-sung.

As South Korea fought back to secure a 2-1 victory, football fans online began revisiting the player who captured global attention during the 2022 FIFA World Cup - Cho Gue-sung. Once dubbed the tournament's breakout heartthrob, the striker again found himself at the center of discussions online.


Few players experienced a rise in popularity quite like Cho Gue-sung during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The South Korean striker first caught the attention of international viewers when he appeared as a substitute during South Korea's match against Uruguay.

Almost overnight, social media users became fascinated with the footballer, turning him into one of the tournament's biggest viral sensations.

At the time, Cho's Instagram following exploded from around 46,000 followers to approximately 293,000 followers by the end of the match. The frenzy didn't stop there. Nearly four years later, his popularity remains strong, with his Instagram account boasting around 1.6 million followers as of June 12, 2026.

The football star is currently playing in Denmark, where he represents Danish Superliga side FC Midtjylland as a striker. While his career appeared to be on an upward trajectory following the 2022 World Cup, Cho later faced a significant setback.


The South Korean international endured a severe knee injury that sidelined him for approximately 15 months. Complications arising from a bacterial infection further extended his recovery, forcing him into a lengthy rehabilitation process.

Throughout his absence, FC Midtjylland regularly documented his recovery journey, giving supporters updates on his progress as he worked toward a return to competitive football.

After successfully recovering from both the injury and infection, Cho returned to action and regained his place in South Korea's national team setup ahead of the country's World Cup qualifying campaign.

Now, the 28 year old, remains an important key for South Korea as they continue their quest for World Cup success. Although he may no longer generate the same level of viral attention he did in Qatar four years ago, the striker's comeback story has earned admiration from supporters who followed his difficult road back to fitness.

For fans who first discovered him during the 2022 World Cup craze, seeing Cho back on the international stage serves as a reminder that his story extends far beyond social media fame.

As for the clash, South Korea opened its World Cup campaign with an important victory. The team fell behind early but mounted a comeback, with substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu emerging as the hero after scoring the winning goal in the 80th minute to seal a 2-1 result.


The victory boosted South Korea's hopes of advancing from the group stage as they will look to build on their opening victory. The side will face World Cup co-hosts Mexico on June 19 while the Czech Republic, meanwhile, will attempt to bounce back against South Africa on June 18.