Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

Chapter 65

65 – Declaration Ceremony

065

If you’re a soccer player, it’s inevitable that you’d dream of representing your country at least once.

It’s not about the highest salary, the main goal and reason for being a ‘pro,’ nor the substantial bonus for playing in A-matches. But the symbolism of representing the nation, the indescribable emotion that comes with it, is nothing short of magic that makes every player dream of becoming a national team member.

And that was true for Jo Jae-shin as well.

“Cheonan Soccer Complex… I can’t believe I’m really here.”

Replacing the former national team training facility, Paju National Football Center (Paju NFC), which had been the previous training ground for the national team, the new home for the national team, Cheonan Soccer Complex, was completed in 2025. Jo Jae-shin’s face, looking at the vast and grand building, was filled with excitement, given that it boasted a site four times larger than Paju NFC.

“I’ve been on the national team for a few years, but what nonsense are you talking about?”

“That’s different. There’s a distinction between the age group national team and the adult national team. Can’t you feel that subtle difference?”

“…What difference is there?”

“You fool. The age group national team uses Paju training grounds, and the U-23 and adult national teams come to Cheonan. Don’t you feel moved even now?”

“Not at all.”

“Ha… Joo Ji, this dry guy. You won’t do. To not feel moved at this moment, entering the national team for the first time… Kid, sentenced to death for lack of patriotism!”

“Is he really crazy?”

So overwhelmed with excitement, even Joo Ji-tae was suffering from an unbearable bout of nonsense.

Joo Ji-tae genuinely began to worry about his friend’s condition.

“Whether it’s moving or not, get a grip. It’s our first call-up. If the youngest is making a fuss like this, who will like it?”

“I’m not an idiot, and I won’t act like this in front of seniors. There’s no one else here, so I’m like this. Just let me enjoy the excitement now. Geez… Cheonan really has a different atmosphere.”

“….”

More like a lunatic than he had thought, Joo Ji-tae found himself at a loss for words at the sight of his friend.

It wasn’t like this when he was first called up to the national team during the first round, even though he was recruited at the much later age of 20.

“…What are you doing again?”

“What do you think? Taking pictures, of course.”

For a moment, Joo Ji-tae looked at Jo Jae-shin, who was snapping pictures in all directions, with a hint of amusement.

Jo Jaeshin’s gaze, which had been snapping pictures for a while, turns toward Ju Jitae.

“…Why are you staring like that?”

“Stand there for a moment. Just a little to the side to get the building in the background.”

In the face of Ju Jitae’s disgusted expression, Jo Jaeshin opens his mouth with a deadly serious look.

“She says it’s a wish from the goddess. She sang national team songs since she was young.”

“That’s because she’s unnecessarily patriotic.”

“So, are you not going to take the picture?”

“…Hurry up and take it.”

Click, click, click—

The barrage of reporters’ cameras shooting wildly in this direction from afar is even scarier than the continuous shooting sound effects coming from Jo Jaeshin’s phone.

『(photo) Excited Ju Jitae and Jo Jaeshin at the first call-up』

—Ahㅋㅋ Can’t resist the photosㅋㅋㅋㅋ

—You have to see this in videoㅋㅋ

—They’re just kidsㅋㅋㅋㅋ

—They play soccer fiercely, but they’re just high schoolers in everyday life.

—Why does Ju Jitae shine so much?ㅎ It’s not the sunlight; it’s his good looksㅎㅎㅎ

ㄴGet out;

ㄴArrest Jo Goddess!! Homophobe, get lost

* * *

Currently leading the South Korean national team is the Italian tactician, Marco Del Neri.

After the last World Cup, the coach who was appointed to lead Korea, whether it was due to parachuting, connections, factions, or whatnot, was a stranger to Ju Jitae, having been dismissed without completing even a year.

From Noble mtl dot com

Not that he was dismissed midway.

As far as Ju Jitae remembers, Marco Del Neri led the Korean national team until the 2034 World Cup. Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. He recalls various controversies during that time.

Nevertheless, in the end, the coach who safely led the South Korean national team to the World Cup departed. For the next two years, Ju Jitae would likely be playing under Marco Del Neri, unless something extraordinary happened.

But Marco, the coach, was quite unfamiliar to Ju Jitae.

In the first appearance when Ju Jitae made his pro debut later than now, he was already bombing the league in the Netherlands, and it was a time when the World Cup was imminent, and the team composition had been finalized.

Unless it was a considerable mess, they wouldn’t be pondering over the lineup when the World Cup was just around the corner.

Naturally, despite bombarding the Netherlands right after his debut, Ju Jitae had to watch the 2034 World Cup from home.

Still, just before the World Cup, succumbing to public opinion, he was ‘tested’ and briefly called up for training. It was only a short period of about a week, but Ju Jitae vividly remembers that time.

No matter how much of a troublemaker Ju Jitae was, the first call-up for the national team in his entire soccer life was quite an exciting moment.

“Clearly, they pursued an active style of soccer, pouring strength into the buildup from the midfield.”

One thing was certain, they were unmistakably committed to playing an active style of soccer.

During the noisy days of the World Cup, they were compared to Paulo Bento, creating a buzz in the media as the next Bento or something.

However, despite occasional setbacks, unlike Paulo Bento, who ultimately showed the result of reaching the Round of 16, Manager Martino Del Neri ended with the regrettable outcome of elimination in the group stage.

Looking back now, it seems that Del Neri was not a coach lacking in skill, ability, or passion compared to Bento.

If anything, one could say that luck was not on his side.

As Joo Ji-tae contemplated the coach, he soon found himself face to face with Martino Del Neri.

“Nice to meet you. You recognize my face, right? Martino Del Neri. Glad to meet the famous duo. Hm… you’re Ju, and you’re Cho. Other players may get confused, but strangely, I can easily distinguish your faces.”

The mid-40s Italian gentleman, after offering a somewhat ambiguously non-discriminatory greeting, added, “Ah, saying it like this might make you feel uncomfortable, but that’s not my intention. When you see Western faces, don’t they all look somewhat similar to you? It’s the same for us.”

No one pointed it out, but he laughed to himself, adding a self-justification.

“Hmm… was he always like this?”

Back in the first meeting, when they were summoned for a week of training, he seemed sharp and irritable.

Well, considering the pressure they were under at the time, it’s understandable that he became sharp.

The two, having exchanged greetings with the coach, then faced the players.

“As you all know, they are the famous youngest ones.”

From the Asian Cup to the World Cup, and the remarkable performance in the Bundesliga.

The players warmly welcomed the two youngsters, who were more well-known than most national team players.

“Wow, long time no see, youngsters. How old are these kids? 18? Crazy, they’re 18? High schoolers?”

“Oh, hyung. Don’t you read the news? They’re the youngest… what place were they? Third? Anyway, they’re damn young, got it now?”

“These young ones are amazing. Football players shouldn’t have such fair and delicate skin. Real players have skin like hyung, a deep tan.”

…Anyway, they were welcomed.

It was when the players welcomed them each in their own way.

“Hey, Korean friends. In Italy, there’s a wonderful tradition of a ceremony when new students come in. Surely, there’s no such tradition here?”

Now, in his first year in charge—precisely, only three months in—Coach Martino, during this A-match period, retained the list of the previous coach, except for Joo Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin.

Except for them, it was a new face under the regime of Coach Martino.

As the interpreter’s words ended, the players, in unison, raised their voices.

“Kya~ Italy is different when it comes to playing football. It’s a country that does it right.”

“Hyung! The juniors are here, should we have a welcoming ceremony? We can’t just pass by without listening to a song, can we?”

“Song! Song! Song!”

“The youngest ones look good~!”

Amidst the uproar, Juji Tae’s face contorted.

“What the heck is this welcoming ceremony? Singing at this age and stage, seriously?”

Despite his veteran status, the athletes, seeing Juji Tae’s reaction, shouted, their expressions akin to a cat caught in the act.

“Eh? What’s with that expression, maknae?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t want the welcoming ceremony? Not going to sing?”

“Oh, the maknae is being difficult. Looking at the expression, we might need to add some dancing. Skilled assistant, come forward!”

“Forward!”

As if waiting for the cue, someone suddenly sprang forward.

At first, a face familiar yet not quite so, soon overlapped with a figure from memory.

“Jeong Chaegun hyung? Why is he appearing here…?”

The former national team representative from the first season, whose face had significantly matured over at least ten hard years, sported a military-like crew cut—

“The skilled assistant is here to demonstrate. Begin!”

“Three bears were~”

Presenting an adorable dance routine.

“Ahahaha! This is insane.”

“Jeong Chaegun’s crazy! This guy is a complete madman!”

“Vamos! Vamos!”

With a stern face and a crew cut, displaying an endearing dance routine, everyone was flipped out, even the coach.

Except for Juji Tae and Jo Jaeshin.

“Did you see that? If the seniors can do this in person, the juniors can’t back down. Are the juniors ready?”

“….”

“Hey, I can’t hear you. Are you ready!?”

“…Yes.”