Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

25 – Mockery of the Weak

025

Beep, beep, beep—!

The referee, checking the time, ruthlessly declares the end of the match as the added time terrifyingly comes to an end.

“The game is over!! A delightful 4:0 victory for South Korea!!”

“Wow~ It was truly a game that evokes admiration! Jang Ki-seok, not only in terms of result but also in content, it was an excellent match!”

As the moment of victory and defeat approaches, as usual, the fortunes of both teams are reversed with the end of the game.

As soon as the additional time begins, the coaching staff and players of Korea, who seemed ready to jump out at any moment, rush to the ground with whistles. On the other hand, Argentina, whether the players on the field or those watching from the bench, stand frozen with expressions of despair.

Especially in this tournament today… no, at the end of a career showcasing the worst performance, Jorge Silvio, substituted after only 32 minutes into the first half, could not hide his tears.

“Cry— Cry. Sobs.”

Whether it was belatedly realizing the reality or not, he sat on the bench like someone out of his mind after the substitution.

Even the Korean players, who were celebrating, couldn’t help but feel uneasy seeing him kneeling on the ground and crying.

“Cryyyyy— Sob, snivel.”

“Hey, Jorge.”

“Ehhhh! Sob! Sniff!”

‘… Is this sobbing, or gasping for breath?’

Once again, as if oblivious to everything, Ju Ji-tae approached to create an affinity totem. Now he frowned deeply, watching the crying Hodrigu, who was almost burying his head in the ground.

“Phew, we almost screwed up. If you make an annoying expression while everyone’s taking shots here, who knows what malicious articles might pop up. Let’s be careful, Ju Ji-tae.”

Even comforting the scruffy guy irritated him, let alone the crying. He cried so damn dirty.

Suppressing the urge to kick him, Ju Ji-tae knelt down and hugged him.

“Ugh, you smell like sweat, damn it.”

A slight feeling of regret washed over him.

“Why did I bring this nonsense, even calling it a luxury… Should I just smack him?”

“Wha…?”

The sobbing guy, who had been crying, seemed curious about the one hugging him and raised his head slightly, only to freeze.

Direct eye contact.

“Ju… Ju Ji?”

Why don’t these guys realize that in East Asia, the family name comes first? When will they get it that it’s not Ju Ji but Ji-tae, and they should interview me as the family name?

From Noble mtl dot com

“Yes, why…? Oh, are you trying to comfort me?”

Since he had spent about three years playing in La Liga in Spain during his first life, he could understand basic Spanish. He couldn’t speak, read, or write it, but he could comprehend it to some extent.

Argentina being a Spanish-speaking country, there was a slight difference from mainland Spanish, but it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t understand.

“Ha… No need!”

He felt quite upset with the guy who abruptly turned his head like a tsundere.

Ju Ji-tae decided to speak in Korean while pretending not to understand Spanish.

“Let’s go, my sucker. I’m going to La Liga, so you should come along quickly.”

“La Liga? ¡No me hagas la pelota!!”

In the midst of this, he only understood La Liga.

“Are you telling me not to brown-nose? Don’t get cocky, punk. …I guess it’s time to get up. I’m going. You don’t need to see me off, so go back to sleep and cry again.”

* * *

‘The national team that defeated their formidable opponent Argentina with a perfect performance.’

‘Ju Ji-tae’s explosive growth that dispels worries!’

‘Successful return to the Three Hundred! How did Jang Ki-seok adapt to the Three Hundred in such a short time?’

‘The hero of victory was also a hero in attitude! Ju Ji-tae’s sportsmanship in comforting Hodrigu!’

‘(photo) The warm friendship shared by the men after the game!’

“He felt the insurmountable wall,” declared Argentine forward Jootaegu, “Let’s meet again in the Bundesliga!” Is Ju Ji-tae heading to the Bundesliga?

—Wow, the game is seriously overwhelming.

—Is it true, 4:0 against Argentina? My pride in Korean football swells.

ㄴYeah, man, the atmosphere below is getting grand.

ㄴYou go back down.

—Seriously, it was like watching Simmons level stability, haha. Ju Ji-tae is the real deal.

ㄴThis is the first time I’ve watched a football game so comfortably, haha.

ㄴIf the defense is good, it’s really reassuring like this.

—The warm friendship of men after the game, haha, look at the article title, it’s wicked, haha.

ㄴThe photo is also wicked, haha.

ㄴThis was really hot on Twitter, especially on BL Twitter.

ㄴHow did you even find that?

The victory against Argentina brought a positive atmosphere, not only in public opinion but also within the team.

“Wow. We beat Messi’s team. Are we really that awesome?”

“We might actually win this.”

“Ah, it’s so exciting.”

The footsteps of players preparing for the next game against Ghana were unusually light.

Physically, it couldn’t be light, but the momentum and atmosphere of victory make you forget fatigue. In modern football, where objective and scientific methodology dominates, it’s not about momentum or winning mentality.

Mental strength, although not quantifiable, is an essential element that cannot be ignored.

“Seniors, our movements were too sloppy just now. The next game won’t be as easy as this. Rather than trying to confront the opponent, it’s better to avoid damage. There will be limits to me blocking in the front like this. In the Ghana game, seniors should go out first and unfold a screen play. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Therefore, the players could nod and smile at the audacious advice from the youngest with ease.

Being given instructions by the youngest, who is so young and cheeky, is no longer a time to feel humiliated or unpleasant.

What does it matter if he’s young when his skills are this good?

Pride doesn’t put food on the table, and ultimately, what matters is the career.

Whether Ju Ji-tae is 17 or 7, as long as he takes care of the ‘career,’ any dissatisfaction can be silently suppressed. Especially for young players just stepping into the professional world.

Above all,

“Hyungs, my words don’t make you uncomfortable, right?”

“….”

“Hmm. We have to go to Europe, you know. The World Cup means European scouts are all here. If we win, we become Europeans immediately. Do you feel bad…?”

“Ahem. What’s up, Jitae?”

“Yeah. Jitae is the man. Age doesn’t matter; skill does. Jitae, let’s go watch our team’s match at MuSil.”

“Right. Let’s do well as our youngest says.”

This situation was familiar.

It wasn’t for no reason that Jitae, the locker room leader, had clashed in Europe, where there was still an underlying atmosphere that subtly disrespected Asians.

Having trained with the players for a while, Ju Jitae discreetly slipped away and called Jo Jaeshin.

“Hey. Come here for a sec.”

“What? Why?”

Nodding vaguely at the seniors demanding drinks as soon as they got out of the offensive line-up and free-kick betting, Ju Jitae led Jo Jaeshin to a corner.

“The next game, you know, against Gana.”

“Oh. Why Gana?”

“In the Gana match, focus on connections rather than goals. Play lower than usual.”

“Like in the second-tier position?”

“No, think of it as a whole new second-tier and move accordingly.”

“Can I just do as I please?”

To the hesitant question, Ju Jitae replied as if it was obvious.

“Obviously, you can’t.”

“Well, that’s true.”

At that nonchalant reply, Jo Jaeshin shook his head.

“Okay. So, what’s the deal? Why do I need to do that? Explain.”

In the flow of the game, it might naturally come to that, but in the next match, Gana would undoubtedly tighten their lines and spaces. Besides, they are physical beasts. Compared to opponents faced so far, they’re a league above even by adult standards.

“Indeed, African players deceive in terms of age, not once or twice. You can tell just by watching game footage. Even those German guys struggle with the physical aspect.”

“True. The German tanks also struggle against these beasts. Even you shouldn’t go head-on with them.”

Jo Jaeshin, who would later rise to second place in the Ballon d’Or for three consecutive years, became that after physical maturation and accumulating more experience.

The current Jo Jaeshin is a 17-year-old player. Even by adult standards, he’s lacking in both physicality and experience to confront these physical beasts ranking at the top.

“Hmm… Is that so?”

As if triggered by a competitive spirit, Ju Ji-tae responded firmly to Jo Jae-shin’s inquisitive look.

“Well, it’s about that. So, don’t even think about getting physical with them, and don’t rush in trying to break through non-existent spaces.”

“I watched the footage, and it seems challenging, but not impossible.”

“Of course, it’s not impossible. Even if it’s not as easy as before, we should be able to break through.”

“Really!?”

“But the probability of getting injured is high.”

“….”

Only then did Ju Ji-tae smirk at Jo Jae-shin, who was finally silenced.

“And now, it’s time to show a different side.”

“Someone… no, could it be?”

“Yeah. With my performance in the Asian Cup catching the scouts’ attention, proving my skills on the European stage against Argentina, it’s time for us to show that we excel in other things too, don’t you think?”

“This audacious guy.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

The two shared a laugh like old buddies.

Indeed, they were remarkably alike, truly kindred spirits.

“This match is crucial. Damn, I told you, right? This World Cup is our showcase. Having demonstrated our strength against teams like Argentina, we need to show that we have other weapons now.”

“Until now, I’ve showcased my scoring ability, ball control, and movement as a forward, so this time, I’ll focus on teamwork… sounds good. I’m confident in my teamwork. How about you? What are you going to show now? Haven’t you already shown everything worth showing?”

“There’s still a lot more.”

“What is it?”

Smirking at Jo Jae-shin’s curious expression, Ju Ji-tae chuckled sarcastically.

“I’m not going to teach you.”

“….”

“Confirm it for yourself in the game.”

“Can I just throw one punch?”

“You can.”