Son Min-chol

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Son Min-chol

| image = Minchol_Son_shillong.JPG

| image_size = 220

| fullname = Minchol Son

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|10|27|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kyoto, Japan

| height = {{height|m=1.84|precision=0}}

| position = Centre back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = |youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2009–2010 |clubs1 = Ryūkyū |caps1= 21 |goals1= 0

| years2 = 2010–2012 |clubs2 = F.C. Korea |caps2= 60 |goals2= 5

| years3 = 2012–2015 |clubs3 = Shillong Lajong |caps3= 61 |goals3= 1

| years4 = 2015–2016 |clubs4 = Mumbai |caps4= 12 |goals4= 2

| years5 = 2017 |clubs5 = Songkhla United |caps5= 0 |goals5= 0

| years6 = 2017–2018 |clubs6 = Lee Man |caps6= 17 |goals6= 0

| nationalyears1 = 2007

| nationalteam1 = North Korea U23

| nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2018

| nationalteam2 = United Koreans in Japan

| nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| pcupdate = 31 May 2018

| ntupdate =

}}

Son Min-chol ({{langx|ko|손민철/孫民哲}}; born 27 October 1986) is a former professional footballer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/shillong-lajong-fc-minchol-son-voted-fans-mvp-of-the-season|title=Minchol Son voted fans MVP of the season|publisher=sportskeeda.com|access-date=24 July 2023|archive-date=20 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620154617/https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/shillong-lajong-fc-minchol-son-voted-fans-mvp-of-the-season|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballcounter.com/2016/minchol-son-expects-a-strong-challenge-in-his-new-club-mumbai-fc/|title=Minchol Son expects a strong challenge in his new club Mumbai FC|publisher=footballcounter.com|access-date=24 July 2023|archive-date=20 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620154624/https://www.footballcounter.com/2016/minchol-son-expects-a-strong-challenge-in-his-new-club-mumbai-fc/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/north-korean-son-adds-some-brawn-to-mumbai-fc-defence/articleshow/50449365.cms|title=Son adds some brawn|publisher=indiatimes.com|access-date=24 July 2023|archive-date=21 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621183619/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/north-korean-son-adds-some-brawn-to-mumbai-fc-defence/articleshow/50449365.cms|url-status=live}} Born in Japan, he represented North Korea at the youth level internationally.

Career

=Japan=

He played for F.C. Ryūkyū in the Japan Football League,{{cite web |url=http://www.syncar.jp/fc_ryukyu/players/13 |title=Syncar しんか〜クラブプロフィール - 孫民哲 |access-date=2012-10-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208020648/http://www.syncar.jp/fc_ryukyu/players/13 |archive-date=2012-12-08 }} and later the Japanese Regional Leagues side FC Korea.

=India=

On 9 June it was announced that he had signed a contract with I-League side Shillong Laong.{{cite web |url=http://www.espnstar.com/football/news/detail/item812826/ |title=Football {{!}} Des Bulpin signs for Shillong Lajong {{!}} ESPNSTAR.com |website=www.espnstar.com |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611011739/http://www.espnstar.com/football/news/detail/item812826 |archive-date=2012-06-11}} On 6 October he made his I-League debut against Mohun Bagan.{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/93649/shillong-lajong-fc-vs-mohun-bagan/report |title=Report: Shillong Lajong 2-0 Mohun Bagan - Goal.com |website=www.goal.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011070002/http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/93649/shillong-lajong-fc-vs-mohun-bagan/report |archive-date=2012-10-11}}

On 17 April 2013, his header gave his side a lead against Mumbai, to help his side register a 2–0 win. Minchol was also captain of the Shillong Lajong squad for the 2013–14 season where the club finished at its highest ever standing.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}

In 2015, he moved to another I-League club Mumbai.{{cite web|url=https://www.footballcounter.com/2016/minchol-son-expects-a-strong-challenge-in-his-new-club-mumbai-fc/|title=Minchol Son expects a strong challenge in his new club Mumbai FC|date=1 January 2016|first=Siddharth|last=Yadav|access-date=15 January 2022|website=footballcounter.com|publisher=Football Counter India|archive-date=20 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620145308/https://www.footballcounter.com/2016/minchol-son-expects-a-strong-challenge-in-his-new-club-mumbai-fc/}}{{cite web|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/mumbai-fc-sign-two-foreign-players/article8034310.ece/|title=Mumbai FC sign two foreign players|date=27 December 2015|agency=PTI|access-date=15 January 2022|website=sportstar.thehindu.com|publisher=Sportstar|archive-date=24 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724074707/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/mumbai-fc-sign-two-foreign-players/article8034310.ece}}

=Hong Kong=

On 4 August 2017, Son was announced as a player for Hong Kong Premier League club Lee Man.{{cite web|title=理文目標做巨人殺手新韓援解釋「脫北」的故事|url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%AB%94%E8%82%B2/110035/-%E6%B8%AF%E8%B6%85-%E7%90%86%E6%96%87%E7%9B%AE%E6%A8%99%E5%81%9A%E5%B7%A8%E4%BA%BA%E6%AE%BA%E6%89%8B-%E6%96%B0%E9%9F%93%E6%8F%B4%E8%A7%A3%E9%87%8B-%E8%84%AB%E5%8C%97-%E7%9A%84%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B|website=HK01|accessdate=5 August 2017|archive-date=2 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502153001/https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E9%AB%94%E8%82%B2/110035/%E6%B8%AF%E8%B6%85-%E7%90%86%E6%96%87%E7%9B%AE%E6%A8%99%E5%81%9A%E5%B7%A8%E4%BA%BA%E6%AE%BA%E6%89%8B-%E6%96%B0%E9%9F%93%E6%8F%B4%E8%A7%A3%E9%87%8B-%E8%84%AB%E5%8C%97-%E7%9A%84%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B|url-status=live}} {{in lang|zh-hk}}

International career

Son was called up to the North Korean squad in June 2014. In 2018, Son received a call-up from the United Koreans in Japan squad ahead of the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.conifa.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Paddy-Power-CONIFA-WFC-2018-Team-Lists-All-Teams-No-MB.pdf|title=Paddy Power CONIFA World Football Cup 2018 Team List|publisher=CONIFA|access-date=3 May 2018|archive-date=4 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504011256/http://www.conifa.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Paddy-Power-CONIFA-WFC-2018-Team-Lists-All-Teams-No-MB.pdf|url-status=dead}}