북중미의 뜨거운 함성, 홍명보호의 운명이 걸린 첫 번째 승부처 > K-wave Trends

The Korean national team has thoroughly prepared for this World Cup by undergoing high-altitude acclimatization training in Salt Lake City. In the last official training, coach Hong Myung-bo delivered a solemn message to all the players, igniting their fighting spirit, and the players also participated in training with higher spirit than usual, enhancing their sense of real-life combat. However, the absence of Kim Tae-hyun and Bae Jun-ho, who suffered unexpected injuries, is an immediate task that Hong Myung-bo must solve. Nevertheless, the national team is waiting for the day of the match, showing positive confidence that they will overcome the 5th division ridge to advance to the round of 32 against their strong opponent, the Czech Republic.

The opposing team, the Czech Republic, is evaluated as having somewhat weakened compared to its past glory, but they are an opponent that you can never let down your guard against. Many of the players are playing in their country's league, and above all, their overwhelming physical ability and ability to control aerial balls are a threat. Czech players, who have a very tall average height, are expected to put a lot of pressure on the Korean defense in set-piece situations, and how to control their height will be the key to victory or defeat. On the other hand, the Czech Republic uses tactics that require a lot of activity, so there is a high possibility that their stamina will decline in the second half, and our national team must exploit this gap and take the win with a quick counterattack.

This World Cup is showing various changes and evolution of marketing outside of the soccer world. The 'hydration break', which is given for 3 minutes each in the first and second half of the game, is expected to act as a major variable in the flow of the game, and the two perspectives of commercial interests and player protection are in tension. Additionally, in Korea, in keeping with changes in street cheering culture, experiential pop-up stores such as ‘Cass World Cup Fan Base Camp’ have appeared near Gangnam Station and are receiving positive response from young people. A culture of fans actively enjoying the festival is taking root, going beyond simply watching games, by participating in shooting games or cheering performances.

In terms of tournament operations, the distance traveled and adaptation to the environment will have a big impact on the team's performance in this World Cup. The Korean national team secured an environment where they could gain a physical advantage by securing a relatively short route between Guadalajara and Monterrey. On the other hand, our opponents will likely have the upper hand in terms of conditioning as they will have to endure long journeys across continents. In particular, the number of goals and attack points that captain Son Heung-min, who is playing in his 4th World Cup, will record in this tournament will become a new milestone in Korean soccer history, and will be a decisive driving force in boosting the morale of the entire team.