All Football Talents Are Mine Chapter 248

248. The ultimate king of soccer (1)

Beep beep!

“Waaaaaaaa!”

When the game ended, loud cheers poured out onto the field.

[It’s the 4th round of the 4th round! South Korea has advanced to the semifinals! This is the second historic moment since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup!!]

[I am so proud of our players. Honestly, did you ever think something like this would be possible?]

[Yes. A miracle has occurred.]

[No. It’s not a miracle. Our players did it. If it is a miracle, it is that great players were born in our country, which is called a soccer country.]

The players hugged each other and had tears in their eyes.

Among them, Hoyoung stood in front of the audience with a flushed face.

My heart was pounding so hot that it felt like my heart was going to stop.

I was filled with an exhilarating sensation from head to toe.

It felt like the entire stadium was going to turn over.

“Ah….”

Hoyoung was speechless.

I feel this way now.

This feeling.

There was no way to express in words this exhilarating shiver that enveloped my entire body.

“Woo Hoyoung! Woo Hoyoung!”

So many people shouting Hoyoung’s name at the top of their lungs.

It was an amazing sight.

It’s something I’ve experienced many times before, but this was my first time feeling like this.

Hoyoung opened his arms to the tens of thousands of spectators cheering him on.

Then he raised the index fingers of both hands and pointed to the sky.

It was like Kaka’s ceremony, where he spreads his arms and prays to God.

But the meaning was completely different.

The 11th goal in World Cup history.

It meant dedicating it to the audience.

To the countless people who supported him.

That sight brought the audience to tears.

And it was around that time that Hoyoung’s face appeared on the electronic display board.

[MAN OF THE MATCH]

[Ho-young WOO: KOREA]

MOM selection voting begins mid-game and closes immediately after the end.

That honor went to Hoyoung.

Five consecutive MOMs in one competition was a record that no one had ever achieved.

And that was then.

Something was blocking Hoyoung’s eyes.

[I want the Bison’s midfield control (U) on the field.]

[It takes 40 days → 3 days to fully acquire the talent. You cannot pursue other talents for 3 days.]

[Potential (S+)]

Hoyoung has expanded from the first line to the second line and now to the midfield.

It was literally becoming soccer itself.

‘We’re almost there.’

Lesson 4.

It was a thrilling bout.

This was the reason why I was able to endure the boring and difficult training every day.

A realistic goal was achieved, and without even realizing it, excited shouts came out.

“Hey!”

I felt like all the fatigue in my body was flying away.

And it was that moment.

I saw an opposing player lying on the floor with his face covered.

It was Michael Essien, breathing heavily.

That’s right, he did his best, running 14 kilometers each in the first and second halves.

I was so disappointed that I couldn’t open my eyes.

Okay.

Hoyoung’s legs turned towards that direction.

“Michael.”

Hoyoung walked in front of him and offered him his hand.

A strange atmosphere passed between the two.

I hope so for a while.

Essien took that hand and stood up.

Then he took off his white uniform and handed it to Hoyoung.

“Congratulations. good luck.”

but.

“You better be prepared the next time we meet.”

It was a long, long 90 minutes.

It was a terrible time for Essien, but it was not a wasted experience.

Rather, I felt like it would be an opportunity to develop myself one step further.

An interview was conducted at the press conference room immediately after the game.

Not only domestic but also foreign reporters reacted tremendously to the fact that Korea succeeded in advancing to the semifinals.

However, because the number of reporters who could enter the press conference was limited, many foreign reporters who could not enter defended the common reporting area.

Other players who passed through here previously have already completed their interviews.

The only one left was Hoyoung.

And it was just the right time.

Sigh!

As Hoyoung passed through the aisle after finishing his official interview, a barrage of flashes erupted.

“Woo Ho-young! “Can you just say one thing!”

“I just want to ask you one thing!”

“Here we go!”

As everyone wished, Hoyoung stopped on the spot.

I wanted to enjoy this moment.

Maybe it was because I was so happy, but I didn’t even notice that my body was tired.

As I stood still surrounded by reporters, one reporter asked:

“The Ghanaian players who just passed by all praised Hoyoung Woo regardless of whether they won or lost. In particular, Michael Essien said this in passing just now. “It’s unfortunate that we lost, but we played our best game today with the best player.”

“I agree. Not only we but they also fought well and showed great performances. “I would like to applaud everyone who played.”

“I would like to applaud Woo Ho-young.”

“thank you. But we still have important tasks ahead. “We are standing still in the face of an enormous challenge.”

“What is your ultimate goal?”

“The goal.”

Hoyoung continued speaking in a serious tone without a trace of laughter.

“It’s a win.”

Those words heated up the whole world.

[Woo Ho-young, “The goal is to win the World Cup.”]

[The birth of an all-time superstar. Unless a natural disaster occurs, most opinions say that the Golden Shoe, Golden Ball, and Ballon d’Or are already confirmed….]

[In addition, FIFA Vice President Chung Hyun-seong Until… Likely to challenge for FIFA President in 2011]

[Experts’ opinion is that Korea’s next opponent should be the Netherlands or Spain, the Netherlands]

Korea’s opponent for the semifinals was scheduled to be decided the very next day, July 3rd.

July 3rd at 4pm.

Dining and lounge on the first basement level of Hunter’s Rest Hotel.

With Hoyoung and other national team players gathered in one place, the quarterfinals between the Netherlands and Spain began.

The purpose was to analyze the next opponent through video.

An Jeong-han sat next to Ho-young.

“Who do you think will win?”

“I am from Spain. “Then what about you?”

“The Netherlands’ momentum is strong. I think something really big will happen this time. “Sneijder and Van Persie were very good.”

Netherlands.

They have shown good performance in every game thanks to the performances of Sneijder and Van Persie, who are at their peak.

After a thorough defense, the counterattack was at a level where they could not prevent it even if they knew about it.

but.

“But I still think Spain will win.”

Spanish football was currently in its golden age.

Although they showed signs of slowing down after losing to Switzerland, they have since found a performance worthy of their reputation and have come this far.

‘Either way, it’s actually a big match, no different from the finals.’

It was a game you couldn’t take your eyes off of for even a moment.

Spain, who took the lead, increased possession by rotating the ball in the midfield and used it to make a threatening pass to the second line.

The Netherlands attempted to disrupt the pass with strong forward pressure, but Iniesta and Xavi’s release of pressure was phenomenal.

He played his game without being hindered, regardless of whether the opponent put pressure on him or not.

Meanwhile, the fast and cheerful rhythm was gradually coming to life.

Tiki Taka.

Xabi Alonso and Xabi Hernández Iniesta endlessly exchanged passes, distracting the opposing defense.

As a result, the ball had already advanced to the Netherlands’ goal.

And the first goal came from David Villa’s toes.

It was Spain’s first goal.

“Wow…”

“You’re good…”

There was a quiet atmosphere in the lounge.

Spain’s passes were so precise and sharp that it was admirable, and their link-up play and goal-making ability were at a truly astonishing level.

It was natural to feel dispirited to see the Netherlands, who had used extreme defensive tactics, break down.

‘This is not something the Netherlands can’t do.’

Spain just played too well.

Sneijder scored the equalizer in the second half, but before he could, Iniesta scored an additional goal, giving Spain the win.

It was the moment when Korea’s opponent in the semifinals was decided to be Spain.

An interview with Iniesta, who was selected as Man of the Match with 1 goal and 1 assist, followed soon after.

Iniesta on TV was speaking in a serious tone.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, our next opponent is Korea. The good news is that they have a lower FIFA ranking than us, and the unfortunate thing is that there are some good players in Korea, including Woo Ho-young. I have faced him several times, and each time I have had to taste the bitter taste of defeat. That’s why I know how scary he is. It’s not just me. Of the 23 members of our national team, 22, excluding Fabregas, have experience dealing with Woo Ho-young. That’s why we will never let down anyone’s guard. “I will go into the game keeping in mind that I could lose at any time.”

Iniesta’s words that he will not let down his guard and will fight with all his might.

It was an interview that brought despair to Korea.

[7/6 Tue Korea vs. Spain]

[7/7 Wed Germany vs. Switzerland]

With the semifinals drawn up, most people were predicting that the finals between Spain and Germany would take place.

Additionally, the prevailing opinion was that Korea’s storm would stop here.

The reason was simple.

Spain.

Because they were that strong.

However, no one on the Korean national team was intimidated.

After coming this far, I couldn’t lose even if I wanted to.

This morning, two days before the game.

The reason we gathered at the training ground was to win the game.

Their goal was not third or fourth place, but only the finals.

Director Heo Seong-su then spoke.

“We have good news and bad news. “First of all, the good news is that we have already played against Spain once.”

This is Korea, which had the experience of fighting against Spain’s 1.5 Army last month.

There was an advantage in that they had already experienced many of the passing patterns that Spain enjoys.

but.

Bad news was also in the same vein.

Spain also experienced Korea.

In fact, when you think about it, it was Korea that was more disadvantaged.

This is because Spain experienced Korea’s first team, but Korea did not.

“So we shouldn’t just rely on that day’s experience.”

There were several players who did not play that day, including Casillas Puyol and Iniesta.

These were players who needed no explanation.

World class.

It was at a level that could not be compared to Mexico or Ghana, and had much more powerful power than Argentina.

It wasn’t ranked first in the FIFA rankings for nothing.

Experts’ analysis showed that if they appear as elite members, there is a greater than 95% chance that Korea will lose.

Moreover, this article was posted this morning.

[‘Spanish national team’s best condition since entering the World Cup with no injuries… Confidence rises ahead of the Korean game]

Bad news piled up.

Spain, which saved its stamina in the match against the Netherlands, was currently in excellent condition.

For Korea, even its last hope was trampled.

but.

“There is no royal road in soccer. If you just prepare thoroughly and play hard, you can make the impossible possible. Run with all your might. Then even if you lose, you won’t have any regrets.”

There was nothing to be discouraged though.

Although they are lacking in many things compared to Spain, they are not inferior at all in terms of passion, determination, and earnestness.

The national team began rigorous training from that day.