Chapter 343 – Bombshell (1)

343

Argentina’s strategy was quite sharp.

“After 25 minutes of the second half, the score now shows 4:2. Ah, Argentina. In the beginning, I thought they would collapse by conceding goals too easily, but they gained momentum in the second half. It’s not too hard.”
“That’s right. It’s not an easy team. He is by no means a formidable opponent. Our players must not lose focus until the end.”

Physical strength is an unavoidable weakness for Korea, which advanced to the World Cup finals with a solid top 11. Didn’t they even fight bloody battles from the quarterfinals to the penalty shootout?

The strategy of aiming at depletion of stamina by striking against a team with a bomb of stamina is not special, but it was a strategy that was difficult to try again if it was the World Cup final stage.

It means that the words are well received, and in the end, isn’t it that you have to make the opponent run excitedly?
Although the idea was easy, considering the importance of the stage, it was a difficult strategy to put into practice, but Argentina did it faithfully.

In fact, it was more than Argentina’s strategy or acting that was excellent, it was because they managed to block South Korea’s fierce attack somehow, so they met it much better than intended, but the process and the results are good anyway.

But Argentina didn’t know… No, to be precise, I knew it, but there was a fact that I was ignoring.

“Ah~ 30 minutes in the second half. The Argentine players are sluggish. Are you making mistakes in basic trapping?”

The fact that the physical fitness problem is not only applied to Korea.

It would be better than Korea, where most of the games were played in the best 11 and even played in overtime immediately before, but Argentina also went through the guillotine of the tournament and became a wreck.

In addition, Korea’s attack was hit hard and consumed their stamina, but on the contrary, the Argentine players were also forced to consume a lot of stamina. The defense is also tough.

“I want our players to be a little bit stronger. Did you make it to the finals? Just a little bit more! I want to focus until the end and get good results.”
“That’s right. It’s just that I’m tired now. Argentine players are also tired. It’s different from 5 minutes ago. If we get tired of each other, the only thing left is a mental battle.”

When there was a momentary lull from the exhaustion of each other.
Hana, who had been running around for a while and had lost her presence, started to raise the gear again.

“Hong Min-joon catches the ball after a long time. Hong Min-jun, there is nothing to be in a hurry. You can go slowly. I have to turn it back— Huh? Can you come in with this? Do you break through?”

* * *

After senior Yohan was replaced, the captain’s armband… Rather, after running wild for about 5 minutes while burning anger at the injury of the senior, isn’t it that my head is pounding and my legs are shaking because I’m out of breath?

Steel king by increasing physical stats… Even though it was difficult, it was a difficult schedule even with my stamina, which had come up just below it.

No matter how good I am at dribbling and how good my technique is, in the end it is the body that performs soccer.
My legs loosen up because I don’t have stamina, and my legs don’t move. What’s the use of dribbling and technique?

So, after the team’s fourth goal, I walked around for about 10 minutes and conserved my stamina.
We will win by 3 goals anyway, because we needed time to catch our breath in order to make a spurt at the end of the second half.

When defending, I watched from afar, and even when attacking, I just wandered around, so the team that fought 10:11 eventually conceded one goal… Well, the people watching must have had a chewy heart, but anyway, won’t it be enough to win?

And the second half 30 minutes.
Finally, the Argentine guys are starting to taste it too.

No matter how many times I repeat the World Cup final, my exhausted body won’t move as I please.
If the Argentine guys who hit hard so far are exhausted, what about me? After 10 minutes of walking around, I took a breath.

My teammates who played harder in my place are on the verge of falling out of exhaustion than the Argentine players, but that’s okay.

‘Cause I can do it alone
Like now.

He checked the time of 33 minutes in the second half on the electronic board he glanced at and immediately raised his hand.
A stadium that has reached a lull. The goalkeeper and center back were repeating meaningless passes, and Yoon-hyeok, who saw me, sent me a pass like a ghost even while exhausted.

“Whoop, whoop, whoop-“

The pressure from the Argentine players, who were close to exhaustion as they couldn’t get tired of receiving the pass while standing still, was one step slower.

“Kuluk, heuk, ah, no…”

He started dribbling by peeling off the defense of the automatic door of the Argentine player who approached with a breathless sound like an old man doing this tomorrow.

‘Just one.’

I admired the mental strength of the Argentine guys who ran to block even when they were tired, but I couldn’t stop my dribbling even when I was in the best condition.

‘Two.’

I slipped the ball between the crotches of the running guy and passed it.

‘Three.’

Tackles bounce the ball slightly and pass it.

‘Four.’

Even the guy who was charging roughly as if he was going to stop it with a foul play was sent away like a revolving door, and the penalty box was right in front of him.

With a few steps ahead of the penalty box, he tried to beat the last remaining center back with speed, but at the moment, a pain arose in his thigh.

While hesitating for a moment, the ball bounced into the air after being struck by the soccer boots of the center back, who had reached out late.

‘It’s too late to trap. Hit me right away.’

Feeling the presence of Argentine players running from all sides, I leaned back.

* * *

“Gool—! After a fantastic dribble breakthrough, Hong Min-joon scores a goal with a roundabout kick!!”
“Hey~ I was worried because I haven’t played in a while, but you did something like this! It is indeed Hong Min-joon!!”

As the game went into a lull, the commentators who soothed their sore throats had no choice but to shout.

Hong Min-Jun’s Wonder Goal in the World Cup Final.
Above all, the fact that it was a goal that actually decided the direction of the game, set the Argentine side down, scoring two goals in the second half, made the commentators go wild.

“Korea leading 5:2!!”
“It’s not over until the end in the 35th minute of the second half, but 3 goals in 10 minutes is hard!!”

Afterwards, the game turned into Hong Min-jun’s one-sided assault, and the Argentine players hustle-played desperately to prevent additional runs.

And the result is—

“Korea!! Win the World Cup, win the championship!!!”
“Yaaaaa!! Gold medal!! Korea’s gold medal, hyooot!!!”

It was a 5-2 victory for Korea without any extra points.

* * *

『Korea World Cup Champion!!』

At the same time as the game ended, breaking news articles without content began pouring in.
However, the reporters’ quick uploads were of no use, because all Koreans were already watching the World Cup finals in real time.

Even a very few who do not watch the finals… Even very few people could not have been unaware of the tumult of people ramming, stamping, and shouting here and there as the end of the game drew near.

And finally.
The moment the match ended with Korea’s victory, the whole of Korea was excited.

The 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup is colorless… No, it was a truly crazy time that far surpassed him.
When everyone was rejoicing like crazy about winning the World Cup, the TV screen with no one watching was silently broadcasting a press conference after the match.

“How do you feel about playing against Argentina?”
“You achieved the championship with Korea, and it is the first in Korea, but at the same time, it is the first non-European and non-South American country to win! Please tell us how you feel about winning the first Asian World Cup!”
“What are your future plans!”

A flood of questions from reporters amidst the maddening flashes of camera flashes.

“Argentina was strong. Also, I did not lose my fighting spirit until the end. It’s a good team. It was a good fight.”
“Was it your first win outside of Europe and South America? I knew it was Asia’s first, but I didn’t know that… I’m happy.”
“I plan to stay in Korea for a while and rest. While fully enjoying the current achievements.”

Unlike usual, Hong Min-joon, who quietly continued the standard interview,

“I have only one year left on my contract with Newcastle, but there is no news of a renewal! The World Cup is over, when can we hear about the contract renewal?”

As expected, he threw a bomb with a mischievous smile.

“I do not know. Should I renew my contract or take on a new challenge?”

The moment when even the questions that were pouring in at the unexpectedly exploded bomb stopped for a second.

“To the football officials who see this. Here are the best players in the world. He is the greatest player of all time who will never come back again. Don’t miss out on the best players in the world.”

A nuclear bomb was dropped.

* * *

『Hong Min-jun, who made a bombshell remark in the interview after the match』
“Actually, a transfer declaration? Hong Min-joon’s call to soccer officials

Despite the surprising incident of Korea winning the World Cup, the world’s attention was focused on Hong Min-jun.

At worst, even experts claiming that Hong Min-joon’s personal stake in Korea’s World Cup victory came out, and the person in question actually declared a transfer?

When the European soccer world is excited and the center of world soccer is excited, the aftershock spreads all over the place.

When everyone, experts and suckers, were chewing and ripping Hong Min-joon’s interview and burning the issue until it was tattered, the real nuclear bomb exploded somewhere else.

『(Official) Jorge Garcia Blitz Transfer to Barcelona!!』

That was the news of Jorge Garcia’s move to Barcelona.