'National team full-back' Seol Young-woo (27, Red Star Belgrade) won the league title in his first season in Europe.
Red Star Belgrade defeated OFK Belgrade 3-1 at the Raiko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade, Serbia, on the 7th (Korea time) in the 30th round home match of the 2024-2025 Serbian SuperLiga.
This secured Red Star an early victory with 86 points, regardless of the outcomes of the remaining matches, extending their unbeaten streak to 30 matches (28 wins, 2 draws). This marks the club's 36th overall championship in the Serbian top league and their 8th consecutive title in the SuperLiga. Additionally, they set a club record for the fastest championship with 7 matches remaining.
It was an easy victory. Red Star took the lead just 2 minutes into the match with a goal from Andrija Maksimović and extended the lead to 3-0 with scores from Aleksandar Katai and Sheriff Ndiaye in the 9th and 11th minutes, respectively. Although they conceded a goal late in the second half, they faced no issues in securing the win.
Seol Young-woo also contributed to the team's championship by playing the full 90 minutes. Starting as the right-back, he earned a penalty kick in the first half, but it did not lead to a goal due to a miss from a teammate. According to football statistics media 'SofaScore', Seol recorded 3 clearances, 4 tackles, 6 duels won, and 2 key passes.
Seol Young-woo moved to Red Star in June of last year, stepping onto the European stage. He did not require a period of adjustment. He quickly won the heart of head coach Vladan Milojević and secured a starting position. Although Hwang In-beom soon left for Feyenoord, Seol continued to perform steadily.
Now, Seol Young-woo has become an indispensable key resource for Red Star. He is responsible for a significant part of the defensive line, regardless of the side. His offensive contributions are also remarkable. Seol scored 6 goals and provided 3 assists in 24 league matches, and recorded 3 assists in 8 UEFA Champions League (UCL) matches.
Seol Young-woo has already received many inquiries. He received military service benefits by winning a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year and completed a 3-week basic military training course in December. With his standout performances in the SuperLiga, it has been reported that he is receiving calls from not only the Middle East but also various European leagues.
Belgium's Gent, where Hong Hyeon-seok played until last season, is also targeting Seol Young-woo. According to Serbia's 'Espresso', clubs from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, as well as Gent, have set their sights on him. However, Red Star is reportedly very satisfied with Seol Young-woo and is unlikely to allow a transfer this summer.
Seol Young-woo has become the second European player to win a league title this season, following Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). PSG confirmed an early victory by defeating Angers 1-0 on the 6th, maintaining an unbeaten streak of 28 matches (23 wins, 5 draws). Lee Kang-in celebrated the championship from the sidelines due to an injury.
And the very next day, Seol Young-woo added another trophy by contributing to Red Star's early championship. With the Serbian Cup still to play, a double is also possible. Seol has a knack for titles since his days in Ulsan.
The challenge for the Korean players in Europe doesn't end here. Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) is also aiming for his first Bundesliga title. Bayern (68 points) is 6 points ahead of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen (62 points) with 6 league matches remaining. Additionally, Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City), Oh Hyun-kyu (Genk), and Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic) are also effectively guaranteed victory.
[Photo] Red Star Belgrade social media.
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