The FIFA World Cup.
Held once every four years, this tournament is unquestionably the greatest competition in world football.
Not only that, it holds an overwhelmingly high status across all sports.
The viewing figures alone prove it.
The UEFA European Championship final draws around 300 million viewers, the UEFA Champions League final around 200 million, and the Olympic men's 100-meter final about 150 million.
After that come the Cricket World Cup, the Super Bowl, the F1 Brazilian Grand Prix final, and the Wimbledon final, but none can compare to the FIFA World Cup final, which attracts approximately 800 million viewers.
Some football fans occasionally compare the UEFA Champions League and the World Cup.
From the outset, they are fundamentally different competitions, so comparison is difficult. In truth, the difference begins with the number of viewers.
Moreover, how could a tournament held every four years carry the same weight as one held annually?
That is why countless footballers around the world say in unison:
The World Cup is the greatest stage a footballer can experience.
It is a dream that cannot be achieved by skill alone.
Luck must also be on your side.
No matter how well an individual performs, many fail to qualify depending on the condition of their national team.
Africa's legend George Weah never made it because his team was too weak, and Wales' Ryan Giggs never broke through the barrier of the European qualifiers and thus never played in a World Cup.
There was also Alfredo Di Stéfano, who could not participate due to nationality issues, and Eric Cantona, who despite being France's captain, never appeared in the tournament.
No matter how well players perform at club level, there are limits once they join the national team.
That is why the World Cup is also a tournament that reveals a player's pure ability and adaptability.
Amid all this.
There were five players drawing the most attention at this tournament.
Argentina's Messi, Spain's David Villa, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, England's Rooney, and South Korea's Ho-young.
All of them possessed the ability to win the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, but considering their teams, David Villa was realistically the strongest candidate.
However, as the national team friendlies were played, different opinions slowly began to emerge.
[South Korea's surge is no ordinary matter. They reached the semifinals at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup under the great manager Hiddink. After that, several European-based players emerged, and it seemed they might continue their revival, but the momentum eventually faded.
But this time, the scale of that momentum is different. You could see it in the recent match between Korea and Spain.
Everything begins with Ho-young. As the youngest player in this World Cup, we will have to see what kind of miracle he creates.]
South Korea's first opponent was Nigeria, with the match scheduled for June 12, the very next day.
The day before.
The Korean national team had set up base camp at the Hunters Rest Hotel, located at an altitude of 1,233 meters, accelerating their adaptation to local conditions.
Because the stadiums in South Africa sit at high altitudes, thorough preparation was essential.
Today marked their sixth day of training.
The other players had been undergoing altitude adaptation training at Paju NFC, so they were adjusting relatively well.
But for Ho-young, it was an unfamiliar experience.
He had played in the U-17 World Cup in Peru five years ago, but the stadiums there were not at high altitude.
It is definitely demanding.
Even slight movement left him short of breath, and his body fatigued quickly.
With less oxygen entering his lungs each time he inhaled, his breathing quickened and his heart raced.
So the national team ran and ran at altitude.
"Do we really have to do this?"
"Work harder. You're the older one, and that's what you say?"
Ahn Jung-hwan, who was running harder than anyone, and Lee Yoon-jae, who teased him, exchanged words.
"Come on. You're a goalkeeper, you don't even have to run. You're having the time of your life."
"You little punk."
"Hey, old man."
"Look at this rude kid."
"Love you."
The chemistry between Lee Yoon-jae's easygoing humor and Ahn Jung-hwan's playful sarcasm always filled the training ground with laughter.
Although their chances of starting were slim due to age, they played their roles well as mental pillars guiding the younger players.
In particular, Ahn Jung-hwan showed great interest in Ho-young.
He was the only one who called him Bang-ho, showing special affection.
"Bang-ho, right? Is there really a reason we have to train at altitude?"
"According to a well-known study, for every 1,000 meters of altitude, teams accustomed to high altitude score about 0.5 more goals than teams that are not. Especially Argentina, and possibly Mexico or Uruguay if we meet them in the round of 16, are naturally strong at altitude. We need to prepare thoroughly."
"Wow, Yoon-jae. Look at this kid. At this rate, we might really reach the round of 16."
"Ha ha. I'll hold it down at the back, so just score up front."
"Stop calling yourself hyung. With a 20-year age gap, you're an uncle. And you're on the bench anyway. What are you holding down? Your belly?"
"You little brat."
"Heh heh."
Whenever these skits resurfaced, the squad burst into laughter again.
Amid the cheerful atmosphere, Ahn Jung-hwan placed a hand lightly on Ho-young's shoulder.
"Hey. Anyway, thanks. For being here with us."
"No problem."
Though he spoke casually, his sincerity was clear.
Ho-young understood.
Just being at the World Cup alongside his childhood idol was a tremendous psychological boost.
As the team's atmosphere steadily intensified, the first match approached.
South Korea's opening group match against Nigeria was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. the next day at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
The surrounding area was filled with barren sand, but the stadium itself was packed with around 40,000 local spectators.
Another 3,000 fans from Korea and Nigeria had traveled far to support their teams.
[Something unbelievable has happened. It's a full house. Completely sold out. It feels like yesterday's opening match between South Africa and England. The response is remarkable.]
[Well, many must have come to see Ho-young. It was sold out even before the tournament began. As football fans, how could you miss the youngest player in World Cup history?]
In reality, World Cup attendance often depends on a team's reputation and star players.
For a relatively modest fixture like Korea versus Nigeria to attract such a crowd proved how intense the interest in Ho-young was.
[And above all, wasn't Kalu Uche's interview yesterday a hot topic?]
The night before, a Nigerian player had given an interview.
Kalu Uche, an attacking midfielder playing for Almería in La Liga, had long harbored resentment toward Ho-young.
Whenever his team faced Real Madrid, they suffered heavy defeats.
On one occasion, they lost 4-0, and Ho-young recorded 2 goals and 2 assists. Uche endured constant comparisons from fans and deep humiliation.
Perhaps because of that, he finally spoke his mind.
Ho-young is the most astonishing attacking midfielder I have ever seen. But he always had world-class players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, and Raúl beside him. Now they have all dispersed to their national teams. Ho-young no longer has great players around him. He is no longer Real Madrid. He is just a South Korean player wearing a red shirt. Therefore, I believe we can beat them. I will burn my body and soul.
Uche delivered his words with intensity, almost like a rap, emphasizing each phrase with determination.
It was essentially a challenge to Ho-young.
[Who will win the duel between Kalu Uche and Ho-young? I am very curious. Commentator Cha Bum-kun, what do you think?]
[They are not on the same level.]
[Ah, you mean Ho-young is that good?]
[They cannot be compared.]
[Ah… I see.]
Cha Bum-kun was firm.
Holding immense affection for Ho-young, he was already offering biased commentary before the match had even begun.
[If our players provide Ho-young with space and the ball, we will definitely achieve good results.]
[So the key is Ho-young.]
[Yes.]
Then the stadium announcer's voice echoed.
Both teams were introduced.
With piercing vuvuzela blasts, the players entered side by side.
Boooooo.
Boooooo.
[It is deafening here. They say this instrument was once used in war. It truly feels like a battlefield.]
[The players must stay focused.]
"Phew."
As Ho-young stepped out of the tunnel with a trembling heart, a thrilling sensation ran through him.
It was his first World Cup stage.
It would have been stranger not to feel nervous.
Just play as always. We will win.
With his usual winning mentality, he sang the national anthem loudly.
[This is a historic moment. Ho-young breaks Norman Whiteside's record as the youngest player to appear in a World Cup finals match. At 16 years and 331 days, he beats the previous record by 75 days.]
[Amazing. I hope he breaks Pelé's youngest goalscorer record today as well.]
[The players are taking their positions. Nigeria on the left, South Korea on the right. Nigeria will kick off. The referee is Michael Hester from New Zealand.]
At last, the match began.
Both teams lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
[Nigeria sets up in a 4-2-3-1. But Kalu Uche is playing on the left wing rather than as an attacking midfielder.]
[Coach Lagerbäck is playing mind games. He intends to rely on pace.]
As Cha Bum-kun said, Nigeria had twisted their tactics.
But Korea built their play centrally with Ho-young at the core.
Everything began from him.
[25 minutes into the first half, Korea's possession exceeds 60 percent. So far, they are clearly dominating.]
[Ho-young's build-up is suffocating Nigeria's defense. He looks full of energy.]
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was not at extreme altitude, so playing conditions were manageable.
Moreover, June in South Africa is winter.
The temperature hovered around 15 degrees, ideal for football.
Then, around the 30th minute of the first half.
[Ho-young intercepts Kalu Uche's pass. He drives forward.]
[Good. They must capitalize on the counter.]
His run began from the halfway line.
But Nigeria did not stand still.
Danny Shittu, Lukman Haruna, and Dickson Etuhu.
The three players assigned to man-mark Ho-young maintained delicate spacing and excellent defensive organization.
The situation grew tense.
They blocked his path, trying to stop his surge.
They had trained for two months to contain him.
But.
[Shittu steps in, but Ho-young breaks through.]
[Excellent.]
[He slips past Lukman as well.]
[Yes.]
[But Etuhu stands firm ahead, and Shittu recovers to cover.]
Whoosh.
"What!"
Shittu charged diagonally from behind, but Ho-young escaped the pressure as if he had eyes on the back of his head.
He spun his body, rendering Etuhu's tackle useless.
It looked like a professional against amateurs.
The crowd watched in a trance.
Ever since acquiring Xavi's vision talent, the change had been remarkable.
Not only in passing, but in build-up, press resistance, dribbling, interceptions, and shooting, it created tremendous synergy.
It's done.
Using his broad vision, he had already grasped the field situation.
While drawing attention, his teammates positioned themselves inside the box.
One pass would create a perfect chance.
His eyes flashed sharply.
Just as he was about to release the ball.
Tweet!
[Ah! What is this? Ho-young goes down.]
[That is a tackle from behind. At least a yellow card.]
It was Kalu Uche, charging wildly from behind.
But Ho-young rose without issue.
In that split second, he had sensed Uche's movement and leaned back slightly, losing balance but avoiding injury.
[The tackle did not connect cleanly, but it is clearly a foul. The referee shows a yellow card to Kalu Uche.]
[Korea wins a direct free kick. Distance is 36 meters.]
Uche clenched his fists, swallowing a bitter smile.
He had received a yellow card, but he had prevented a scoring chance.
At 36 meters, there is no way.
He prepared for a counter, encouraged by his teammates.
Moreover, the official match ball for this World Cup was rumored to be difficult to control.
But Ho-young stepped forward with confidence.
"I would like to take it."
(To be continued.)