SAPPORO (Kyodo) South Korea striker Choi Yong Soo was named the Most Valuable Player of the J. League first stage Friday after his 12 goals helped modest JEF United Ichihara to third place in the first division.
Choi, the league's joint top scorer with Jubilo Iwata's Brazilian marksman Rodrigo Gral, was presented with a prize of 500,000 yen at a ceremony at a Sapporo hotel on the eve of the J. League All-Star game.