Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

46 – Assertion

046

Regardless of the swirling rumors of love, the imminent goal was the final match.

The national team began preparations for the game.

As with most international competitions, the schedule for the U-20 World Cup was tight.

To illustrate how tight it was, the final match was scheduled just four days after the semi-finals.

The day after the game was reserved for recovery, and excluding the game day, there were only two days to prepare.

There was no time to spare.

“Move while thinking! You have to move while looking at the line!”

“Focus, focus! Are you going to do it like this just one step away? We’ve already won!? Everyone, focus!”

“The recovery is too slow! If you keep doing this even in the final, you’ll concede immediately! Don’t you want to win? Move faster!”

This was Korea’s second, and the fourth for an Asian nation, U-20 World Cup final.

Although it seemed like a simple 50% chance of victory or defeat, in the last three instances, Asian countries had to settle for runner-up.

Of course, being a runner-up was an excellent achievement, and at the time, it was a satisfying result. However, wasn’t it a long-awaited final after the runner-up at the 2019 Poland World Cup?

Desire for records and titles is natural for everyone.

Initially, the satisfaction of just participating in the tournament seemed possible with the first victory, group stage advancement, round of 16, quarterfinals… and now, it had expanded to winning the championship.

Even a hard-fought final, where the limits were keenly felt, would only make the championship trophy feel within reach. If they dominated overwhelmingly, the final they had reached would seem to bring the championship cup almost to their hands.

That’s why the eyes of the players and coaching staff naturally focused on the two ‘ambitious’ players who had created the current ‘desire.’

If those two, Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin, perform well… if they continue as they have until now, then winning is not just a dream.

Jo Jaeshin is fine. The problem lies with Ju Jitae.

Normally, he wouldn’t have worried about the guy who consistently performed well without any fluctuations,

“Is he really okay?”

“Even if he looks fine on the outside, who knows what’s going on inside after witnessing someone die right in front of him?”

No matter how mentally tough a person is, witnessing someone die in front of them, especially in a gruesome scene where a person’s body is crushed by a truck, is bound to have an impact. Moreover, Ju Jitae is about to turn 18, but isn’t he still just 17?

However, the worry quickly disappeared.

“Hehehe.”

Even while training, his occasional self-amused chuckles,

“Indeed, the power of love is great.”

“He’s so happy just because he got a girlfriend. Is it really that great?”

“He claimed to be forever alone, but during the sacred competition, he managed to charm a girl? Kid… the audacity!”

To others, it seemed like the typical elation of someone experiencing their first love, enthusiastically captivated by a girl. However, misfortune struck at that very moment when everyone was at ease.

“Ahh!”

* * *

The opponent in the final match in Korea was not the tournament’s most successful Brazil, the invincible fleet of Spain, or the tank division of Germany— it was Uruguay.

It’s an unexpected result, but not something that no one could have predicted, at least not up to a tremendous turn of events.

Hidden behind the likes of Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is also a renowned football powerhouse in South America. In fact, being grouped with regions like Brazil and Argentina often diminishes the presence of any football powerhouse.

Being treated as a football powerhouse amidst such competition meant that Uruguay was no pushover.

In reality, Uruguay boasts an impressive career, proudly ranking fourth in the U-20 World Cup, just after Brazil, Argentina, and Spain. For reference, South Korea is ranked 12th, and Japan is 16th.

The issue, however, is that despite holding the fourth position in the overall ranking, Uruguay has never won the championship.

Uruguay’s best performance is runner-up.

Objectively, being the runner-up is not a bad achievement, but for a team ranked fourth overall, it might feel somewhat lacking as their best result. What’s even more amusing is that in the U-20 World Cup, where they fell short, they managed to clinch the championship twice in the adult World Cup.

It’s not just two-time victories, but winning the World Cup twice is a remarkable career, surpassing even countries like Spain, England, and on par with France. Above them, only Brazil, Germany, Italy, and Argentina. Nevertheless, despite making noise in Asia, it wasn’t abnormal for them to reach the finals when compared to Korea, the alley leader that stands out.

In a country where there has been no record of winning in the U-20 World Cup, one can only imagine how eagerly they must be awaiting this opportunity.

Fortunately, the only saving grace is that Fernando Alvarez, Uruguay’s top prospect and globally acclaimed talent, did not participate in the tournament.

As a result, the odds for this final match were favoring Korea.

Even after the unfortunate revelation of an injury.

“Here we are at the Beijing Workers’ Stadium in Beijing, China, hosting the 2031 U-20 final! The Beijing sky is clear today, promising a fantastic game. Our players are warming up on the field right now.”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s almost time to head to the locker room. The focal point of today’s game is undoubtedly Ju Ji-tae, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Ju Ji-tae has been solidly guarding Korea’s defense until now… Unfortunately, there was an incident the day after the Italy match.”

“Sadly, there was a traffic accident. Of course, Ju Ji-tae wasn’t injured, but he witnessed it directly at the scene. Our Ju Ji-tae, isn’t he a young player?”

As the match approached, the commentators focused on Ju Ji-tae, the most prominent player, attracting viewers with discussions.

“Yes, along with Cho Jae-shin, he is the youngest in the national team. His performance is phenomenal. Ju Ji-tae plays as a center-back, right? But he has recorded 1 goal and 4 assists so far! Moreover, he has three Man of the Match awards, truly showcasing Korea’s core player with extraordinary skills.”

“Ah, Ju Ji-tae, the core player of Korea… We saw in the Italy match what happens if this player falters, didn’t we? So, there was a lot of concern about Ju Ji-tae’s condition today… But I met him earlier, and he says he’s in very good shape. Viewers, you don’t need to worry.”

Finally, after the commentator’s prideful display of what he wanted to convey, the starting lineup for Korea emerged.

“Here is Korea’s starting lineup. As expected, it’s a 3-4-3 formation, right?”

“Yes. But there is something noticeable… Unfortunately, captain Song Hoon will be absent today due to an injury during training.”

Song Hoon, the captain of Korea, has been reliable in the midfield.

While not a conspicuous role, Song Hoon’s departure was undoubtedly a setback, considering his active contribution to both offense and defense.

“But it’s okay. Although it’s regrettable that Song Hoon is injured, there are many good players who can fill his shoes in the national team.”

However, if you were to ask whether it was a serious setback, it wasn’t.

There were only three irreplaceable players in the national team: Ju Ji-tae, Cho Jae-shin, and Yoo Ki-tae.

Among them, only two possessed truly overwhelming skills.

Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin.

In other words, the absence of any player other than these two was a minor loss, although not insignificant.

The problem, however, was the captain’s armband.

“Ah… it’s truly unfortunate news. But here’s an interesting fact: when captain Song Hoon was absent, I thought the captaincy would naturally pass to the vice-captain! But it unexpectedly went to another player?”

“Yes. What’s intriguing is that it was revealed that Captain Song Hoon personally designated his successor. Still, it’s quite an unexpected decision.”

Being the captain is not just about wearing the yellow armband and swaggering around.

It’s a position that involves coordinating between the coach and the players as a team leader. During the game, the captain acts as a field commander who can follow the coach’s instructions broadly but make detailed changes based on the situation.

Naturally, the captain must have good skills, a high standing within the team, and friendly relationships all around.

Such a weighty responsibility—

“This player right here! The core of the national team but also the youngest! Ju Ji-tae will wear the captain’s armband today, leading the team into the game.”

The task assigned, the youngest player on the team. It couldn’t be anything less than a truly rare sight.

“Oh~ This is quite amusing. Isn’t Jun Ji-tae’s nickname the Korean Franz Beckenbauer?”

“That’s right! In Germany, they already call him the second Beckenbauer.”

Of course, it was a bluff. While some might have mentioned it, the phrase “like Franz Beckenbauer” was merely a fabrication by scouts trying to describe his playing style.

But such trivial matters were inconsequential in the face of national pride. Even before the game began, the commentators erupted with an otherworldly enthusiasm.

“Franz Beckenbauer!! He’s the Kaiser Beckenbauer of Germany!! What was his nickname during his active career? The Kaiser, the Emperor!!”

“That’s right!! With his unique imperial leadership and control of the game, he was called the Beckenbauer Emperor!! And our Jun Ji-tae, like the second Beckenbauer, has displayed outstanding leadership on the field! And he’s only 17 years old!!”

And so, Jun Ji-tae’s debut as the team captain began.