All Football Talents Are Mine Chapter 253

253. Immediately after the end of Yujong’s (1)

match.

Most of the Korean players who passed through the joint coverage area ended their interviews briefly by saying, “I am disappointed and upset, but I will finish the remaining games well.”

Their expressions were all grim and miserable.

There was no player who didn’t shed tears.

And when Hoyoung passed by, the already heavy atmosphere calmed down even more.

Reporters were considerate of Hoyoung.

“If you’re having a hard time, it’s okay to just pass by.”

“cheer up. Many people are cheering for us. “I will root for you to win the 3rd and 4th place match.”

“You can!”

“Woo Ho-young, fighting!”

Encouragement from reporters of all nationalities.

Hoyoung stopped in place.

No matter how sad it is, I really wanted to say this.

Hoyoung spoke in an extremely excited tone.

“The players did their best until the end. Although we didn’t achieve our big dream of advancing to the finals, we were able to play a good game thanks to everyone’s hard work. It was a good experience for me and a stage where I was able to learn a lot. And I would like to express my gratitude again and again to all the fans who generously support me and us, both overseas and domestically. I will do my best in the last game so that we can achieve great results. thank you.”

The emotions were overwhelming until the moment he finished speaking, but Hoyoung held back.

but.

“Young.”

Then, when I returned to the locker room, I felt like my emotions were going to explode.

Spain’s players, including Casillas Ramos and Alonso Iniesta, were waiting outside the Korean team’s locker room.

Among them, Ramos, who was standing with a particularly sorry face, approached Hoyoung first.

And then he carefully gave me a hug and spoke.

“Even though we were enemies today, we are inseparable brothers. Whether it’s been 5 years or 10 years, that doesn’t change. Please take good care of me in the future. And… let’s meet in the finals at the next World Cup. “You deserve it.”

“It will definitely happen.”

Hoyoung answered firmly.

Winning the World Cup.

Now that the World Cup in South Africa is over, it may be a dream that is difficult to achieve.

No, it definitely was.

If Hoyoung knows the future, Korean soccer will go downhill from now on.

However, Hoyoung’s soccer career was still on the uphill side.

There were still many places left to climb.

July 7th.

Amid numerous World Cup articles, the second match of the World Cup semifinals began at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

It was a match between Germany, which had perfect organization, and Switzerland, which was causing a surprise.

The game was tense from the beginning.

Switzerland continued to threaten Germany with threatening counterattacks based on a suffocating defense.

Then, around the 20th minute of the first half.

After a rough fight, Germany conceded the first goal by giving Switzerland a penalty kick.

I wondered if something unprecedented in history would happen.

but.

[Germany’s Miroslav Klose scores a dramatic comeback win of 2-1 with the winning goal in the second half of extra time… Klose is closely following Brazil’s Ronaldo with his 14th goal in the World Cup]

[July 10th at 8:30 p.m. Korea-Switzerland charges in the 3rd and 4th place match… . Korea is at a disadvantage with 1 loss in 1 game]

[Interest in the Korea-Switzerland match… Will they be able to exact revenge in the 2006 Germany World Cup]

The match against Switzerland, which was problematic due to the controversy over misjudgment, was an interesting match.

If they defeated Switzerland and took third place, they would have broken their record of reaching the semifinals at the 2002 World Cup.

The game was scheduled to take place exactly three days later.

And the night before the game.

After finishing the last training session, Hoyoung went out to the hotel balcony and enjoyed the night breeze.

It felt strange to be blown by the cool and humid wind.

Although I felt relieved, I also felt worried at the same time.

‘The World Cup ends in just a few days.’

I ran breathlessly all the way here.

And now it was time to make a decision about where to go next.

After standing there blankly for about 30 minutes, someone opened the window behind me and came out.

My roommate was Park Ji-seok.

“You look like you’re worried a lot.”

“yes. “The new season is starting soon.”

Currently, trashy articles about Hoyoung were widely spread around the world.

Rumors of discord and transfer.

And speculative articles about his future actions were pouring in every day.

Park Ji-seok, who knew that fact, wanted to give some advice as a senior soccer player.

This is because in the past few days, Hoyoung has been seen unable to concentrate at the training ground.

“Even if you just want to play soccer, there are times when you can’t, right? “I can’t concentrate and my body doesn’t respond well.”

“You see right through my heart.”

“It’s strange that they don’t. However, in my opinion, a true professional player should be able to focus only on soccer no matter how difficult and difficult the obstacles are. “I think that’s the most important virtue that a professional athlete should have.”

“But what if you have to choose a path before that?”

“There’s no need to think hard. Just proceed according to your thoughts. If you don’t feel intimidated and can demonstrate your skills anywhere, that’s fine. “Whether it is Spain or England.”

“As I think?”

“then. You’re still young, right? I’m not even an adult yet, so what? “There’s no need to feel too much pressure already.”

“haha. “I see.”

right.

There were still many opportunities to choose.

Hoyoung bowed his head and responded to this truly simple yet clear advice.

“Thank you for the advice.”

“haha. Well then, let’s just go in and sleep. “We have to play well tomorrow as well.”

“yes. “We must win.”

I shook off my thoughts and filled my mind with thoughts of winning tomorrow’s game.

My head, which had been heavy, finally felt a little lighter.

And the game took place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium just three days later.

[I am proud of our players for coming this far. Whatever the result, since it is the last game, I hope it ends well and shows a great performance.]

Most experts predicted a victory for Korea.

This is because Switzerland had lost a lot of stamina after playing in overtime just three days ago.

The physical burden was the same in Korea, but it was even more extreme in Switzerland.

Thanks to this, Korea was able to fight comfortably.

[Woo Ho-young drives the ball directly and penetrates the front line.]

[He penetrates the gap between Benjamin Hugel and Gokkan Inler!]

When we faced Spain and then Switzerland, it felt like we were in another world.

‘There are a lot of gaps.’

Switzerland, which had established a 4-4-1-1 formation, was putting heavy pressure on central midfielder Gokhan Inler.

The main target was, of course, Hoyoung.

But regardless, Hoyoung played his own way and escaped pressure through dribbling and passing.

Goekhan Inler, who is good at cutting the ball, only chased after Hoyoung and ended up allowing him to break through.

[Woo Ho-young’s Marseille turn! He spins the ball around and eventually escapes the pressure of the midfield!]

[Good! He breaks through just like that!]

Hoyoung, who started coveting Iniesta’s ability to break pressure three days ago, was clearly feeling the effects.

It felt like an effective way to escape pressure was stored in my body and head.

“shit. Bergen! “Pull it out!”

Inle, who missed Hoyoung, shouted.

Then, the surrounding players, including central defender Steve Bergen, stretched out their hands and feet to block Hoyoung’s breakthrough.

But it was all in vain.

As if it were a scene from a movie, Hoyoung escaped the tight pressure by dodging the approaching players one after another.

It was just instinct.

As if they had already known about the breakthrough, they narrowly escaped the capture net they had set up.

It just moved forward like a tank that was immune to any attack.

When Steve von Bergen put his foot in, he shifted his center of gravity backwards to protect the ball, and when left winger Barnetta made a sliding tackle, he detoured to escape the pressure.

[Woo Ho-young is on a rampage today!]

[It’s a chance. The front is empty. Park Joo-hyung is waiting!]

Even so, Ho-young’s eyes were already looking forward.

It was just before he made a lob pass aimed at Park Joo-hyung, who was moving toward empty space.

But then.

puck!

Philippe Senderos, who was marking Park Joo-hyung, hurriedly approached and pushed Ho-young’s side with his elbow.

Since he was 190 centimeters tall and weighed close to 90 kilograms, the force he exerted in an instant was no joke.

It was inevitable that Hoyoung, who was making a kick motion, lost his balance and fell to the floor.

Immediately after, Senderos quickly raised both hands and strongly appealed that he had done nothing wrong.

but.

Tuk!

In any case, the pass had already reached the decisive position.

Right at Park Joo-hyung’s feet.

[Park Joo-hyung’s one-on-one chance!]

[Just like that!]

Park Joo-hyung’s curling kick with his right foot escaped goalkeeper Diego Benalio’s grasp and headed toward the corner of the goal.

But just before the goalposts were thrown, something unbelievable happened.

Beep!

[iced coffee! What is this?!]

[Mexico’s referee Cerrito stopped the game. Woo Ho-young fell earlier, but since it led to a decisive chance, it was right to proceed with the game. But now, calling a foul on Senderos…]

[Ah, that’s not it. Cerrito approaches referee Woo Ho-young.]

“Woo Ho-young, it’s a simulated foul.”

“What is it?”

Isn’t it because of Senderos’ elbow strike, but rather a warning to Hoyoung?

In other words, Hollywood action.

In other words, it was said that Hoyoung fell on purpose to induce a foul.

[I can’t believe it. It appeared that he had apparently been pushed by Senderos’ elbow and fell. I think I’ll have to watch it again to find out the exact details.]

However, the large electronic display only showed a scene of Hoyoung breaking through, but there was no scene of him colliding with Senderos.

This was because experts argued that replaying controversial scenes on a large electronic display board could place a great burden on referees.

FIFA accepted that and was following that principle in this tournament.

Even though you could see it on TV, you couldn’t see the controversial scene at the stadium.

[Even if it was a Hollywood action, the referee was slow to blow the whistle. This is clearly the referee’s mistake.]

[Ah… I can’t believe it. It was definitely a goal. It’s not unprecedented, but I never dreamed something like this would happen in the World Cup 3rd and 4th place match.]

The players came out and expressed their frustration to the referee, but there was nothing they could do to change it.

In fact, referee Cerrito took a stronger stance, saying that the guy who farted was angry.

“If you protest one more time, it will be a warning. “Everyone, step back.”

Since it was a World Cup where video review was not introduced, there was no room for reversal.

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!”

“What are you doing, referee?”

“Didn’t you eat the money?!”

“What kind of ridiculous decision is this! Did you strain your eye? “This is Hollywood action.”

Various boos poured out from the audience, but the referee did not overturn the decision.

Moreover, there were quite a few forces defending the referee.

“I completely understand. “It is very likely that the referee could not see it from where he was standing.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t visible from our side either.”

In any case, the Korean players had to swallow their anger and take a step back.

“That crazy Mexican referee. If you want to blow it, blow it fast. “It only happens when you try to score a goal.”

“You really ate money, didn’t you? “This is the level of blatantly biased judgment.”

“Sigh. Dirty bastards.”

It was definitely strange for the players to feel.

Moreover, it was even more so because the opponent was Switzerland, which had a lot of controversy due to the controversy over the wrong decision in this World Cup.

But there was no time to just complain.

“Come on, everyone, let’s focus. “It’s not too late to complain even after we win the game.”

It was Park Ji-seok who calmed down the agitated players.

Then he ran to Hoyoung and checked his condition.

“are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine, no injuries.”

Hoyoung got up off his butt and glared at the referee.

With his grim face, he was a veteran who had been active in FIFA since 1993.

There was no way such a skilled referee would have made such a decision in the World Cup 3rd and 4th place match.

Eat.

Hoyoung burst into laughter without realizing it.

My mouth was smiling, but my insides were burning.