[Ho-young comes sprinting in from the opposite side to support.]
[Good. They must keep pushing like this.]
While Park Ji-sung and Ho-young drew attention, Korea's full-backs and midfielders, now with space, had already positioned themselves inside the box.
The number of attackers matched the defenders.
It was a golden opportunity.
"Mark Ho-young first."
"Just clear it. Concede a free kick if you have to."
Open space.
Papadopoulos, who had struggled throughout the first half, rushed in to cover but committed a mistake.
[Ho-young with a stepover. Papadopoulos loses his balance.]
[Good. He breaks through and shoots.]
Thud.
The curling right-footed shot slammed into the far right corner of the net.
Once again, his finishing left no room for doubt.
"Ho!"
It was Korea's first goal on their path to the round of 16.
Tweet.
[The first half ends 1-0. Korea gained a great deal from that half.]
[Yes. They scored while conserving energy. Many players saved stamina, which is the biggest advantage. Waiting patiently and striking in one decisive moment is not easy, but they executed it well.]
[If they conserve energy today, we can expect a strong performance against Argentina next. Would it not be better to advance as group winners?]
[We will have to see.]
After halftime, inside Korea's locker room.
"Well done. Ji-sung's movement was excellent. Young-pyo and Du-ri did well cutting out counters."
Smack.
Coach Heo Sung-soo entered laughing heartily and tapped each player on the back of the head.
It was his sign of affection, and the better the performance, the harder the tap.
Then.
Smack.
"Ho-young was outstanding."
"Thank you."
Heo chuckled warmly at Ho-young.
Where had this treasure fallen from?
He could not stop smiling.
At this rate, not just the round of 16, even the quarterfinals and beyond seemed possible.
But it was too early to celebrate.
Lowering his voice, Heo calmed the room.
"Our first goal is the round of 16. Then we surprise the nation by going further. Do not lose focus. Injuries happen in an instant. Like in the first half, keep supporting each other."
"Yes, coach."
Morale soared.
They carried that momentum into the second half.
Greece, pushed into a corner, fought back fiercely, but with Ho-young tracking back, Korea maintained defensive stability.
Then, around the 85th minute.
Ho-young's long pass dropped into the space behind the defense, creating a one-on-one chance for Lee Dong-gook.
His shot carried too much spin and was parried by the goalkeeper, but Park Ji-sung finished the rebound to extend the lead.
About ten minutes later.
[Full time. It is over. A historic moment. Korea reach the round of 16 away from home for the first time.]
[The players have given the nation a meaningful gift. They should be proud.]
The more emotional players embraced and wept.
They draped the Taegeukgi over their shoulders and lay flat on the pitch together in celebration.
[First ever away round of 16 qualification. An incredible record. It may be early to ask, but is it better to advance as first or second in the group?]
[Generally, first is preferable. But we must see how the other matches unfold.]
[Do you believe the quarterfinals are possible?]
[At the moment, the round of 16 opponent will be Uruguay, Mexico, or England. If they avoid England, it is definitely manageable.]
Nothing was certain.
What was certain was that Ho-young led the scoring chart with four goals, and Korea had secured their place in the round of 16.
As a result, Coach Heo entered the press conference smiling.
Beside him sat Man of the Match Ho-young.
Soon enough, reporter Hwang Tae-seok, who always seemed to track Ho-young down, received a question.
"First, congratulations to both of you."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
He continued.
"Coach Heo, how do you feel right now?"
He wanted to ask Ho-young first, but courtesy dictated otherwise.
Heo laughed.
"We have reached the round of 16. What more is there to say? I am grateful and proud of our players."
"Congratulations once again. Since time is limited, I will go directly to Ho-young."
Heo seemed to have more to say, but Hwang smoothly shifted.
"Ho-young?"
"Yes."
"On a personal note, I cannot avoid this topic today. I have been following you for eight years now. Back then, you barely reached my waist. Do you remember?"
"Of course. I still keep the first article you wrote about me."
"Wow."
Hwang was momentarily speechless.
Before being a journalist, he was a devoted fan.
"Ahem. Seeing that small boy now lead Real Madrid and Korea is deeply moving. As a football fan, I just wanted to say that. Ho-young, keep going."
"Thank you. I will do my best."
It was a night that warmed the hearts of football fans and Ho-young alike.
During the World Cup, countless issues erupted across global football.
[Korea Football Association President Cho Jun-hyung says, "Ho-young has been monitored since childhood. We are searching for the next Ho-young. We aim to dominate the Asian Cup, Asian Games, and Olympics."]
[Group C France shockingly record 1 draw and 1 loss. An official from the French FA says, "We feel the absence of Zidane."]
[Portugal in Group G crush North Korea 8-0. Cristiano Ronaldo scores four and takes sole lead with five goals.]
[Switzerland defeat Chile 1-0 with a penalty and secure round of 16.]
[Controversial refereeing decisions spark debate. FIFA President Blatter says referees involved will be investigated and possibly expelled.]
[Real Madrid president Calderón proposes stock listing at suggestion of the European Commission. 100,000 socios oppose, saying the club belongs to the people, not capital.]
[Real Madrid's New York listing collapses. Rumors spread about Cristiano Ronaldo and Ho-young departures.]
Amid the turmoil, several clubs grew busy.
Most were major Premier League sides.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City all began serious moves to sign Ho-young.
If the release clause was paid, even if Calderón objected, the deal could proceed if the player agreed.
AC Milan had proposed a buyback clause package, but since Ho-young rejected it, there was no choice.
That left one club.
Manchester City, backed by Middle Eastern capital.
They offered a buyback clause and even suggested purchasing additional players, asking for help convincing Ho-young to choose them.
At present, they were Calderón's preferred option.
If Ho-young spent one season at City, Real would avoid facing him in the Champions League, as City were set for the Europa League.
Moreover, it would strengthen relations with owner Sheikh Mansour.
That was why Calderón prioritized negotiations with City.
But it did not end there.
Bayern Munich, pursuing partnerships with Middle Eastern capital, arrived with an extraordinary financial offer.
They also planned to sign Arjen Robben and others, asking for support in bringing Ho-young to Munich.
In truth, it was all meaningless.
Regardless of Real Madrid's stance, the decision ultimately rested with Ho-young.
The real question was what kind of proposal each club could present to him.
Meanwhile in South Africa.
After Group A concluded, two more teams advanced to the round of 16.
Mexico as group winners and Uruguay as runners-up.
England, unable to adapt to altitude, the Jabulani, and the vuvuzelas, were eliminated.
Coach Heo Sung-soo fell into thought.
"Mexico is preferable to Uruguay, but."
Whether first or second, the quarterfinal opponent would be one of the United States, France, Ghana, or Germany.
Nothing was certain.
"This is why finishing first is complicated."
"At this point, maybe advancing as runners-up is better. To finish first, we must beat Argentina due to goal difference, and that is difficult."
The chances were slim.
The players were fatigued.
Ho-young still looked fresh, but the regular starters who had run relentlessly in the first two matches needed rest.
"Even with a draw, we finish second on goal difference. In that case, it is better to play comfortably."
The assistant coach's words made sense.
"What does Ho-young say?"
"He wants to play. He is competing with Messi and Ronaldo for the Golden Boot. It seems he is determined to win the Ballon d'Or. From the mood, Messi will likely start as well."
"Alright. Then we cannot stand still. Push Ho-young up front and use Ahn Jung-hwan as the chance maker."
In truth, the result did not matter much.
But in another sense, it was a big match.
Ho-young versus Lionel Messi.
Match day arrived quickly.
On the day.
"Nice."
"This will be worth watching."
"We are in for a spectacle."
"Who would have thought we would see a World Cup match like this."
When the lineup was announced, the crowd erupted.
Both Messi and Ho-young were in the starting eleven.
Thirty minutes before kickoff.
As players warmed up on the pitch, someone else was just as excited as the fans.
Thick beard, protruding belly.
Now older, but still commanding authority with his name alone.
"Nice to meet you."
He approached Ho-young during warm-up and extended his hand.
A legend who had led his team to World Cup and UEFA Europa triumphs.
Now Argentina's manager, once the icon of an era.
[Diego Maradona]
[Possessed Talents: Dribbling Beyond Mastery (L), Unextinguishable Fighting Spirit (S+2), Charismatic Leadership (S-), Genius Tactical Understanding (A+2), Exceptional Eye for Talent (A-), (More...)]
(Degraded talents cannot be viewed.)
(One talent may be acquired upon fulfilling conditions.)
(Talents of S grade or higher require hidden conditions.)
(Condition 1: Win the Golden Ball at the Youth World Cup.)
(Condition 2: Score after running over 60 meters at the World Cup.)
(Condition 3: Win the World Cup Golden Ball.)
(Condition 4: Win the UEFA Europa League.)
(Hidden condition unlocked upon acquiring at least one talent.)
At last, they met.
Alongside Pelé, one of the two greatest legends in football history.
Argentina's hero, Diego Maradona.
(To be continued.)
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