Former manager Cha Bum-Kun is reunited with the Europa League victory trophy at the Kia Motors brand experience space BEAT360.

Kia Motors has been bringing great joy to the football fans with various events as the official sponsor of UEFA Europa League (hereafter Europa League) in 19-20 season after the 18-19 season. They are releasing a series of videos about meeting legendary football players for the fans. Who was the legendary player Kia Motors met recently? It’s none other than Former manager Cha Bum-Kun. Former manager Cha Bum-Kun say he has special ties with Europa League and Kia Motors. What could it be?

Bringing victory to UEFA Europa League twice, Cha Bum-Kun

Former manager Cha Bum-Kun won the Europa League (UEFA Cup at the time) in his first season at Frankfurt and once again lifted the victory cup for Bayer 04 Leverkusen (photography source. Frankfurt official homepage).

When former manager Cha Bum-Kun was playing for the German league, he won the Europa League (UEFA CUP at the time) twice. Europa League was called UEFA CUP from 1971 to 2008 and was changed into Europa League from 2009. When former manager Cha Bum-Kun made it to Bundesliga in Germany in 1978, he surprised the world with is skills. He joined the prestigious German club Eintracht Frankfurt and won the UEFA CUP in his first season and moved to Bayer 04 Leverkusen to win another one after scoring a defining goal in the 1988 UEFA CUP finals. There are not more than 10 players in the world who have lifted the UEFA CUP more than twice in different teams. It’s no stretch to say that at the time former manager Cha Bum-Kun was surely world-class.

The German government awarded former manager Cha Bum-Kun for his efforts to better the relationship between Korea and Germany with an Order of Merit.

Back in the day former manager Cha Bum-Kun was one of the all-time 11 best players for Frankfurt. Even in Germany, former manager Cha Bum-Kun is still very popular. In November, the German government awarded former manager Cha Bum-Kun with an Order of Merit to award him for his efforts in trying to better the relationship between Korea and Germany for more than 10 years. Order of Merit is given to Germans and foreigners who have achieved something special in politics, economics, social, spiritual areas or to those who have done something for Germany in social welfare, charity, etc.

Appeared in advertisement for free to promote Kia people’s spirits during IMF

In 1998, when Kia Motors was going through rough time, he appeared in an advertisement for free and improved the morale of the executives and staff.

Former manager Cha Bum-Kun brought pride onto Korean people with his popularity in Germany. He also came to create a special bond with Kia Motors in 1998, during the IMF times. In 1998, when Kia Motors was going under legal management, former manager Cha Bum-Kun appeared in the Kia Motors advertisement for free in hopes of normalizing the company. Former manager Cha Bum-Kun and his wife visited the Kia Motors headquarters to volunteer. The advertisement surely helped bringing up the morale of the Kia Motors executives and staff, and later on, after the revival, Kia Motors donated an enterprise to the former manager Cha Bum-Kun to show him their gratitude.

▶ Go see former manager Cha Bum-Kun’s ‘we stand up again’ CF