It hasn’t been long now since I’ve been tracking the South Korea national football team, and I have to say their journey lately has been very full of events.
It has been one kind of a ride for both players and fans from controversies to challenges on the playing field.
Last week saw them take on Thailand in an important World Cup qualifier where they managed to draw but not as they had wished for.
However, there is much more than what the scoreboard shows.
One occurrence that drew my interest was pre-match distractions.
There has been lots of noise about the team; from aftermath of the Asian Cup controversy to Jurgen Klinsmann’s sack as head coach.
Moreover, we should not forget about Son Heung-min getting into a fight with Lee Kang-in over a table tennis game between them. Sometimes these are off-field issues that can affect their performance pitch-wise.
After all the dramatic fuss, it is my stance that these players are tough. They have gone through criticism and being watched, but they are still there in support of their motherland with everything they have.
Examples include Son Heung-min who scored vital goal in a recent match and Lee Jae-sung who has been performing consistently for the side.
Again, one should not forget about younger players such as Lee Kang-in who showed early promise as a creator.
Yes, indeed, perhaps they may have erred before like gambling their Asian cup money on cards but everyone deserves another chance. It is their reactions to these failures that will shape their true characters.
I believe that the forward Joo Min-kyu is one of the players who was outstanding. He reached his international debut at the age of 33 last week, becoming Korea’s oldest player to do so.
At an age when many people would have retired from the playing field, it is encouraging to see someone fulfilling their dreams. Nevertheless, he did not perform well in his debut match and I am optimistic that he will make a difference in future matches.
It is crucial for fans to stick with their team through thick and thin. There will be ups and downs, wins and losses, but this is what makes soccer exciting.
It does not stop at winning on the field; it has more to do with journeying along in passion and pride for your country.
Therefore, as South Korea prepares for its next encounter against Thailand, I will be there supporting them from the touchline.
I trust this team and they are capable of bouncing back even better. Let’s go Korea!