◀ Anchor ▶
The Korean national soccer team’s challenge at the U-20 World Cup ended with a beautiful fourth place finish.
The team was physically exhausted after playing for more than 20 days on the other side of the world, but they played harder than anyone else and gave it their all with no regrets.
I’m looking forward to seeing what the team will do in the future, as they have made it to the quarterfinals of two consecutive tournaments.메이저사이트
Reporter Kim Tae-woon will continue to report from Argentina.
◀ Report ▶
The team gave it their all in the semifinals.
The players were already exhausted…
They conceded the first goal to Israel.
But they didn’t give up.
Captain Lee Seung-won tied the game again with a clever penalty kick.
But as the minutes ticked away, our bodies became sluggish…
After conceding two goals midway through the second half, we had to accept a 3-1 defeat.
When the final whistle blew.
the players fell to the ground.
Coach Kim Eun-joong went over and picked them up.
At the three letters of his name, which had been carefully written by the local Korean fans, the emotions he had been holding back burst forth.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay!”
The players shed hot tears and, unable to leave easily, thanked the fans until the end.
[Kang Sang-yoon/U-20 National Team]
“There were a lot of fans who supported us in Korea and a lot of fans who came here and supported us locally, and I don’t think we were able to reciprocate that, so I felt very sorry for them, and I think that’s why I was crying.”
With three goals and four assists, captain Lee was awarded the Bronze Ball, the third most valuable player in Korean national team history.
It’s only the third individual award in men’s history, after Hong Myung-bo in 2002 and Lee Kang-in in 2019, but Lee emphasized that he received it on behalf of the team.
[Lee Seung-won/U-20 national soccer team captain].
“I think (Lee) received the good ki of his brother, and our players have been struggling for a year and a half, so even though we don’t have a medal or a trophy, we want to take this award as a sign that we are together.”
The 23 days of competition have come to an end.
The athletes have gained valuable experience and are taking new steps toward a bigger stage.
I’m Kim Tae-woon from MBC News in La Plata.