After reaching the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the national team players gathered in a circle and lifted their coach, Kim Eun-jung, into the air. After receiving a hug from his players, Kim beamed as if all the pressure had been lifted from his shoulders.

After reaching the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup for the second time in a row, Kim smiled and dismissed the team. The team celebrated their fourth-place finish at the U-20 World Cup with a homecoming and welcome ceremony at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on Thursday afternoon.

The Korea Football Association organized the welcome event to celebrate the team’s second consecutive U-20 World Cup quarterfinal appearance. Even on a weekday, more than 300 fans showed up at the airport to welcome the team home. They wore the players’ national team and club jerseys to stand out, and they cheered and applauded each and every one of them for their great achievements.

The players, who arrived 39 days after leaving on the 7th of last month and were clearly tired, smiled as they were greeted by fans at the airport. Coach Kim Eun-jung, who watched from the sidelines, said, “Before the tournament, our players didn’t get much attention. They proved it through this tournament and confirmed their unlimited potential,” said Kim, who was pleased with the change in treatment.

In addition to the players who showed great potential, Kim also recognized the birth of a leader who will be responsible for the future of Korean soccer. Throughout the tournament, the South Koreans defeated the world’s top teams by playing physical football, dominating space rather than simply dropping their center of gravity and defending it, and earning praise for their high level of organization that allowed them to counter-attack quickly with promising plays on the counter-attack.

Kim Eun-joong transformed a group of players who were not expected to do much into a U-20 World Cup quarterfinalist, but he gave all the credit to the players. “I want to say thank you to the players, and I don’t think I can say anything better than thank you to the players,” Kim reiterated in his arrival interview.

There’s a reason why Kim keeps repeating the word ‘thank you’. He appreciated the attitude of the players, who showed responsibility and thorough preparation even in the free atmosphere of the MZ generation. Reflecting on the process of overcoming Nigeria in the quarterfinals, Kim explained, “Actually, the players had a hard time in the quarterfinals, but when I saw them win that game, I felt that they were great once again.” “The tactics and set-piece training that we prepared for the France match in the Brazil camp were implemented well with concentration, and I think the results came out at the tournament,” he said.

While expressing his gratitude for the extension, Kim also showed his sore finger. He also remembered Sung Jin-young (Korea University) and Park Seung-ho (Incheon United), who were injured before and after the tournament. “I feel sorry for Sung Jin-young, who couldn’t go with us due to injury. He scored a lot of goals and performed well with Lee Young-joon, so it was a shame to miss him,” Kim said.메이저사이트

Injuries also occurred during the U-20 World Cup. Park Seung-ho fractured his ankle against Honduras in the second round and returned home early. After reaching the quarterfinals, Kim Eun-joong, who emphasized that “it was the result of everyone, including Park Seung-ho,” was busy highlighting all of his players, saying, “I think it made us more cohesive as we had 17 players on the field.”

“The tournament is over, but it’s just beginning,” said Kim, who transformed the valley generation into the golden generation. I think they can be competitive in their own teams because they have proven their abilities,” he said, “I hope they will improve further and go all the way to the Olympics and the A team to continue the future of Korean soccer.”