12년의 기다림, 홍명보호가 멕시코 고지대에서 쏘아 올릴 ‘첫 승’의 신호탄 > K-wave Trends

Coach Hong Myung-bo emphasized the team's completeness in a confident tone, as if trying to dispel all the anxiety ahead of this match against the Czech Republic. The national team has been thoroughly prepared by running a long-term pre-camp in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA to overcome the harsh high-altitude environment of Guadalajara, which is 1,570 meters above sea level. At first, there were some difficulties in adapting due to differences in the physical conditions of each player, but Coach Hong explains that all players have now become perfectly accustomed to the high-altitude environment. Because the players themselves have secured a sense of relief and confidence that they have completed their adaptation to high altitudes, there are high expectations that their psychological stability will lead to improved performance.

From a tactical perspective, coach Hong Myung-bo announced that he has already completed the planning of the ‘best 11’ to play against the Czech Republic. The fact that the team showed experimental moves by selecting as many as 25 players evenly in the previous evaluation match raised some concerns, but this was the final puzzle solving process that was all done with thorough calculation. Coach Hong said that he had decided on the best combination after much deliberation during training and right before the meal, indicating that there would be no further tactical confusion. The team also trained with dedication under the direction of the coach, and the eyes of the players, led by captain Son Heung-min, were filled with a desire for victory, creating a very positive energy flowing within the team.

The group stage that Korea will face in this World Cup is by no means easy. In particular, Mexico, the host country that will face the team in the second game, is expected to have a home advantage greater than that enjoyed by Korea during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, and coach Hong Myung-bo is evaluating the importance of the first game against the Czech Republic more than ever. If a point is not secured in the first match, the pressure of the second match against the host country will inevitably increase exponentially. The fact that there is no precedent in the history of Korean soccer to advance to the tournament after losing in the first game of the group stage proves that this game against the Czech Republic is more than just a first game, but a watershed that will determine the success or failure of advancing to the round of 16.

The atmosphere of the national team is a unique tension where solemnity and liveliness coexist. In the last training session, Coach Hong Myung-bo re-armed the players' mental power with a short and powerful speech, and the players raised their sense of real-life fighting spirit with higher-than-usual cheers. Although the absence of some players, such as Kim Tae-hyun, who was out of the team due to injury, and Bae Jun-ho, who is aiming to return for the second game, is regrettable, the remaining 24 Taegeuk Warriors are more tightly united than ever. On the other hand, the opposing Czech team is showing contrasting actions compared to Korea, arriving in Mexico only on the day of the final match, so the point of interest is how Korea's strategic advantage, based on its ability to adapt to high altitudes, will be demonstrated in the actual match.