“It’s about coming together as a team. We can go even higher than we are now if we do our part for the team.”
No goals, but a big heart for the team. At the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023, where expectations were low and concerns were high, South Korea’s second consecutive trip to the quarterfinals was marked by shining performances from the main squad, but also by the “grain of wheat” efforts of players who quietly did their part and dedicated themselves to the “one team”. They all say that the 21 players, centered around coach Kim Eun-joong, worked together to achieve results beyond expectations.
In fact, Kim Eun-jung’s men made six substitutions in their quarterfinal match against Nigeria at the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 at the Santiago del Estero Stadium in Argentina on Friday (June 5), as Choi Seok-hyun’s header gave South Korea a 1-0 victory after extra time to advance to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive time. With the exception of Park Seung-ho (Incheon), who was sent home early due to injury, all 20 players in the squad except goalkeeper Moon Hyun-ho (Asan, Chungnam), midfielder Kim Jung-hoon (Korea University) and midfielder Lee Seung-jun (Seoul) started the game, and it is a testament to Kim’s “one-team organization” that the team was able to maintain a consistent performance and eventually earn a clean sheet.
Kim’s teammates Park Hyun-bin (Incheon), Kim Jung-hoon, Moon Hyun-ho, and Bae Seo-joon (Daejeon), who will face Italy in the semifinals on September 9 at 6 a.m., expressed confidence in their ability to achieve good results if they continue to believe in each other and work together as a team in an interview with the Korea Football Association at their hostel in Argentina after the Nigeria match.
Midfielder Park Hyun-bin, who came on for Lee Chan-wook in the 16th minute of the quarterfinal against Nigeria, said, “We are happy beyond words to reach the quarterfinals. We had a lot of tough games, but we came together as a team. Together with Park Seung-ho, who returned home due to injury, we are always playing with the mindset of 21 players.” He added, “It was hard to set the tempo when I came on as a substitute in the second half, but I adapted quickly with the help of my teammates. If we continue to play as a team, we can do well in the quarterfinals against Italy and even the final,” he said.
Reserve goalkeeper Kim Jung-hoon, who did not play a single game during Korea’s five matches from the group stage to the quarterfinals, winn 먹튀검증 ing three and drawing two, said, “I’m happy and honored to be in the quarterfinals, even though I didn’t play a single game. I’m even prouder because I know what the coach and players went through to prepare and sweat since last year,” he said, expressing his desire to contribute to the ‘One Team’ in any way possible.
“I don’t think I did a good job, but I think it was because the media and people around me said I did a good job,” said Moon, who kept a clean sheet in the third group match against Gambia, where main goalkeeper Kim Jun-hong (Gimcheon) did not play. “I am confident in my agility and quickness despite my height (193 centimeters), and I have strengths in aerial balls. I will make up for the reputation of being weak underfoot and become a good player.”
Defender Bae Seo-joon, who started against Nigeria, said, “We have come this far by sticking together every game and following the coach’s words. We will analyze their strength and respond well against Italy. Striker Bae Jun-ho and I are currently playing together in Daejeon, but we’ve been together since high school, so we have a good understanding of how to move according to the situation,” he said, vowing to do better as a ‘one-man team’.