Yoo Sang-chul, a key member of the historic South Korean national football team that reached the semifinals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, passed away at the age of 49 after a battle with cancer.

Incheon United of K League One, the last club Yoo coached, said Monday night that Yoo died at around 7:00 p.m. at Asan Medical Center in Seoul.

Yoo was diagnosed with Stage Four pancreatic cancer in November 2019, but stayed on Incheon's bench until the end of that season to help the club avoid being relegated to the second division. He stepped down in January 2020.

Yoo seemed to be in relatively good health last year while making several public appearances. He reportedly even considered returning to Incheon, but the club decided against it, citing concerns over his health.

Yoo spent 12 years playing for clubs in South Korea and Japan, before retiring in 2006. He has since coached three K League clubs and a university team.

Having played 124 matches and scored 18 goals on the national team, Yoo is one of 13 South Korean players in the FIFA Century Club.