Dec 18, 2023
─Asian Cup national team departs for Qatar. Overseas players to join locally... Golden Generation sets sights on first title in 64 years
Dec 21, 2023
─UEFA Champions League group stage concludes, Round of 16 teams confirmed
Dec 22, 2023
─Champions League Round of 16 bracket finalized
◇ FC Porto v Arsenal FC
◇ SSC Napoli v FC Barcelona
◇ Paris Saint-Germain v Real Sociedad
◇ Inter Milan v FC Copenhagen
◇ Real Madrid C.F v RB Leipzig
◇ PSV Eindhoven v Borussia Dortmund
◇ FC Bayern Munich v SS Lazio
◇ Manchester City FC v Atletico Madrid
Dec 24, 2023
─Manchester City defeats Fluminense FC 4-0 to win Club World Cup
Dec 27, 2023
─[PL R20] Manchester City suffers first defeat of the season 0-1 at Villa... Pep Guardiola, "The Premier League schedule is murderous"
Dec 30, 2023
─Kevin De Bruyne returns to training from hamstring injury. A welcome reinforcement amidst the murderous schedule
Jan 2, 2024
─2023 AFC Asian Cup Qatar opens... South Korea's first match against Bahrain on the 4th
Jan 13, 2024
─[2023 Qatar] South Korea advances to Round of 16 as group leaders with 3 wins... Round of 16 opponent is Japan, 2nd in Group D
Jan 18, 2024
─'I Jian with 1 goal, 1 assist' South Korea dominates Japan to advance to quarterfinals!
─'Perfect 10 rating' South Korea escapes nightmare losing streak against Japan thanks to I Jian's performance
─"We tactically won the match." Japanese netizens enraged at defeated manager's post-match interview: "Swim back home."
─Subtitles suddenly changed? Japanese broadcaster's live subtitle editing during Round of 16 match causes a stir... 'Strongest Ever Golden Generation's Title Challenge' → 'Qatar Asian Cup National Team's Title Challenge' → 'Subtitle Deleted'
─"His very existence was despair." Japanese media cite I Jian (18, Manchester City) as reason for shocking Round of 16 exit
Jan 24, 2024
─[2023 Qatar] South Korea defeats Iran 2-1 after a hard-fought battle to secure semifinal spot... Semifinal opponent is host nation Qatar
Jan 30, 2024
─[2023 Qatar] South Korea advances to the final! Defeats host Qatar to reach final for first time in 9 years... South Korea 3 : 1 Qatar
Jan 31, 2024
♡
230,134 likes
mancity Congratulations, our proud fantasista! Make sure you win and come back! Let's go South Korea!
Congrats our proud, FANTASISTA!
be sure to win final and comeback!
Let's go South Korea!
South Korea 3 – 0 Qatar
I Jian scores 2 goals in semi-final, go to Asian cup final with South Korea
Feb 6, 2024
─[2023 Qatar] National team completes final training in cheerful atmosphere one day before final against Jordan... Just one match away from ending a 64-year-old wish
∙∙∙
"Hoo... hoo..."
A burning inhale.
And a burning exhale.
Bent at the waist, hands on my knees, I let out ragged breaths.
My breathing rises all the way to my jaw.
The Middle Eastern sandstorm flows out from my mouth.
"...Hoo."
I contract my lungs, tense my core, and straighten my back. The harder it gets, the more my waist tries to hunch over—which is exactly why I must keep my back and shoulders straight when it's hardest.
I can't calm my breathing at will, but I force the cycle of inhales and exhales, seizing command of my body.
The desert winter is hot and dry.
Because of that, standing in the sun makes my skin sting, but stepping into the shade, it's not that hot.
It's not humid either, so sweat doesn't come easily.
But right now, my entire body is drenched in sweat.
Sweat drips steadily from my jaw, and even this high-tech uniform feels like a wet towel.
Thanks to me, I wonder if the surrounding humidity has risen by about one percent.
"..."
I push back my wet hair and look around.
And to call back my mind that had wandered far away in the heat and exhaustion, I shake my head vigorously.
All around me, the Asian Cup final rages on.
I stand in the middle of it.
The opponent is Jordan.
They were in our group during the group stage, and somehow we meet again in the final.
We had beaten them 3-0 back then.
Looking only at the result, it seems like an easy win, but I remember it wasn't so easy.
And today was no different.
Tat-tat-!
I quickly dart forward to receive the ball.
Swoosh-
A teammate's throw-in comes my way.
Pow-!
I take the ball with my chest and drop it onto the top of my foot, glancing behind me.
I see an opponent quickly closing in.
To escape him, I roll the ball and walk myself into a dead end.
Tat-tat-!
In front of the corner flag.
Just before crossing the touchline, I stop the ball, lower my stance, and push back against the opponent pressing from behind.
The key is the hips.
If you try to match back-to-back when they push, you'll get shoved aside immediately.
You have to lower your center of gravity and hold your ground using your lower body.
A honey tip from a legendary monster defender.
Thud-!
...This guy.
He's coming in pretty rough.
I don't know where he gets such strength; even as I hold my ground, I'm pushed forward bit by bit.
No matter how you look at it, this is a football pitch, not an MMA ring.
He taps my shin that's shielding the ball again and again, but I can't just give it up.
Tat-tat-!
I spin around sharply and pull my right foot back.
And I kick the ball as if taking a shot.
The target is anywhere on the opponent's body.
Hit something and go out.
Pwaang-!
Nice.
The ball hits the opponent's body and goes out over the goal line.
At that, the referee in the distance blows his whistle and points to the corner flag.
Our corner kick.
The opponent who had been pushing me like he wanted to kill me snorts and steps back.
He must be pretty worked up.
"Hey-"
Paang-!
The corner kick is taken short.
I lay it off short to a teammate who has come close, and immediately receive the return pass.
At the same time, the worked-up opponent calls his friends and rushes me, so to protect the ball as I did just now, I put my back to them again.
But this time, I don't plan to hold my ground.
Srrr-
I roll the ball back with the sole of my foot, sending it through the opponent's legs.
And I quickly turn my body, escaping the suffocating, sweat-filled narrow space.
Then naturally, the large electronic scoreboard on the opposite side, above the stands, comes into view.
90:00 (+3)
KOR 2 : 0 JOR
The clock on the scoreboard has stopped, but by rough estimate, it must be approaching three minutes since it stopped.
Even if there was added time to the added time, it would be twenty seconds at most.
With that thought, strength surges up again that wasn't there just moments ago.
Seeing this, the human body is truly amazing.
Like a tube of toothpaste that's almost empty.
You'd think it's all squeezed out, but if you wring it, it keeps coming endlessly.
Tat-tat-tat-!
Without a single thought, I just dribble the ball and run away from opponents rushing at me from everywhere.
I gave up on the idea of playing football five minutes ago.
What I'm doing now isn't football, it's just tag.
With the single-minded determination to never give up the ball, I run for my life.
Then when I have absolutely no strength left to run, I toss the tag far away.
Pwaang-!
I send a rough long pass and squat down.
Rather than sitting, it would be more accurate to say I slumped down.
My legs have lost so much strength that it's hard to even stand.
Now, when the referee blows the whistle three times, everything will end.
This tournament, which began with the first match against Bahrain, will also come to a close.
We came to Lusail Stadium for the final and clashed with Jordan for ninety minutes.
Those ninety minutes have now passed.
"Haah, haah..."
A measure of relief and certainty.
The moment such feelings mix together.
While squatting, I search for the captain with my eyes.
Unlike me, already lost in idle thoughts, the captain still seems focused on the match, not taking his eyes off the ball.
Seeing that, I suddenly recall what he said on the first day of the call-up.
It was at a team dinner; he said it was an honor to have his final—yet not final—challenge together with us.
And very honestly, he said he wanted to win so badly.
The purity reflected on the captain's face when he said those words was, for some reason, a purity that made me reflect on myself.
It made me think once more about what it means to be a football player and a professional.
Whatever the tournament, whatever the match.
The moment you step onto the pitch, burning with desire for victory.
More than fundamentals, running speed, or tactics.
I thought that what matters most in heading toward victory is a pure heart that wants to win.
Maybe that's why, without realizing it, I think I was cheering him on even as we played together.
I wanted to see the captain win.
I wished to be there for it.
That's how I felt.
Honestly, the national team was a place that only felt burdensome to me.
For someone—no, for most—it's a once-in-a-lifetime dream.
Truthfully, for me, it felt like a place I was somewhat dragged into.
But I learned.
What I learned was that nothing else matters.
Whatever the stadium, whatever the jersey, whoever I play alongside.
What matters is only the greed to win.
Beep, beeeep, beeeeeep-!
Three whistles sound, and at the same time, all players on the pitch collapse right where they stand.
Opposing players fall face down, our players sprawl out.
The only difference is that our players stretch both hands toward the sky.
We won.
∙∙∙
February 10, 2024.
Manchester, Etihad Stadium.
"Yo, how's your body."
"Good."
"You alright? Good. Want to come this way?"
"Yes."
I follow the club official I met in the corridor.
Today is a match day, and it's almost time for the game to start.
The corridor is bustling with people moving busily, but I walk down the hallway leisurely, as if it's someone else's affair.
It's only been two days since I returned from Qatar.
I only rested yesterday, essentially.
As can be seen from my current casual clothes, my name is off today's match squad.
However, the reason I'm walking down the corridor following the official toward the player tunnel is because of the club's unnecessary kindness in giving me time to show off.
...This medal hanging around my neck right now.
It's the Asian Cup winner's medal; they told me to wear it before the match starts and show it off to the fans.
I thought everyone who should know already knows, so why go through the trouble, but they said this kind of thing boosts the fans' pride.
Hearing that, I couldn't bring myself to refuse.
"Alright, you can go."
"...Yes."
I nod to the official and walk awkwardly down the tunnel toward the pitch.
And as I emerge under the bright sunlight... the stadium announcer's voice deliberately draws all eyes to me once more.
-Please welcome, to our number seven......
As I walk near the touchline as the official instructed me beforehand, the applause from the stands grows louder and louder.
And likewise, standing by the touchline, I take the medal hanging from my neck in my hand and hold it up high above my head as instructed.
I make a lap, showing the fans what I accomplished while away from the team.
Clap, clap, clap, clap-
To my genuine gratitude, the fans stand up from their seats and send applause.
Even though it's not the team's medal, they celebrate it as hotly as if it were.
...Hmm.
Doing this, I feel like I've come home holding a test paper with a perfect score.
*
"Ol."
"..."
"Oool."
"...What."
The stands where I've returned to sit after the short welcoming ceremony.
I click my tongue at Jiwoo, spouting nonsense beside me.
It's been quite a while since I sat in the stands and watched a match together like this.
"What's with the cool act. Seeing your expression earlier, I thought you were some actor."
"...Since when do I act cool."
"You did. From your eyes alone, you were saying, 'I'm that kind of person.'"
Goodness.
When did I ever do that.
Thanks to Jiwoo, who spouts nonsense without fail even though it's been a while, I feel once again like I've come home.
Should I like this or not.
"Anyway, what are we going to do. Since this prince can't play today's match. We'll still win, right?"
"So what if I'm out..."
Anyway, today's match is a Champions League match.
The first leg of the Round of 16.
The opponent is a team called Atletico Madrid.
They're a Spanish La Liga team, a strong team that has won the league before.
But I wasn't too worried.
No matter how strong the opponent is, our team is stronger.
We'll win anyway.
"The players are coming out."
I rub my hands and wait; soon the players begin entering the pitch.
And after player introductions, the ball is placed at the center of the pitch.
The match begins with a whistle.
I'd heard that the opponent is a team with strong defensive tendencies.
A team that went to the Champions League final with a two-line defensive tactic.
But when it comes to breaking through that defense, our players are experts more than anyone.
So there's nothing to worry about.
"Want something to eat?"
"I'm fine. You eat."
"Sigh, I'm on a diet though."
"...Just eat."
With such a light heart.
I watch the match chatting idly with Jiwoo.
Then, before long.
My light heart is shattered.
"...Oh!"
"..."
Along with Jiwoo's innocent exclamation.
Because the opponent had opened our goal first.