The key was managing condition and maintaining match sharpness.
The national team began training with that focus. Meanwhile, Heo Sung-soo and the coaching staff constantly analyzed Spain's match footage while devising a tailored tactical plan.
However, no matter how many times they reviewed it, no clear answer appeared.
That night.
Heo Sung-soo finally called Ho-young to his room.
The reason was simple. Tactics.
For Heo Sung-soo, who rarely discussed tactical matters with players, it was a significant decision.
If handled poorly, it could undermine his authority as head coach.
But this was the semifinal.
There was no room to worry about such things.
Besides, there was nothing to lose from hearing Ho-young's thoughts.
After all, the story of his tactics defeating Barcelona was already famous.
Heo Sung-soo carried a small hope.
"In my opinion, Spain will definitely play Beautiful Soccer."
Beautiful Soccer.
Another name for the tiki-taka style Spain currently used. It meant football that was both beautiful and extraordinary.
"So have you decided on a counter-strategy, coach?"
"I plan to play pragmatic football."
"I think that is a good choice."
The 2010 World Cup could be summarized with a single phrase.
Pragmatic football.
A counter-attacking strategy based on solid and disciplined defending.
Most teams in the tournament relied on that tactic.
It followed the famous philosophy that football must win even if it looks ugly, and honorable defeat is only an excuse for the loser.
However.
"My opinion is a little different. A counter-attack based on defense has its limits."
"In what way?"
"Pragmatic football is clearly the trend. But that does not mean it is the best solution. It can annoy Spain, but it is not enough to defeat them. Brazil faced Spain with extreme defense and sharp counter-attacks, and the Netherlands used strong defense, pressing, and quick counters."
"That is true."
"But the result was still defeat. Even after building such strong defensive structures."
Although methods to deal with tiki-taka had been discussed, Spain remained extremely strong.
They had recorded four wins and one loss in this tournament alone.
"Objectively speaking, our defense is far weaker than Brazil's or the Netherlands'. So a strategy built on strong defense and counter-attacks will not work. Besides, Spain has already faced pragmatic football countless times."
Every word was correct.
Even those two teams had conceded against Spain.
There was no guarantee Korea could stop their attack.
"But if you help defensively, it might still be possible."
"That could be one method. But Spain are on a completely different level from the teams we faced before. Especially in midfield. We will inevitably lose control there."
Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernández, and Andrés Iniesta.
Ho-young could not face them alone.
However, Heo Sung-soo thought differently.
"We have not actually tried it yet."
"I have faced them many times already. Even when I played for Real Madrid, they were difficult opponents. Especially Xavi and Iniesta, who are in their absolute prime. If we truly want to win, we must find another method. A tactic that can shock them."
"I understand what you mean. But we need a method first."
"We fight fire with fire."
"With fire?"
"Yes. We set it ablaze. A massive fire."
That was the only possible variable.
July 6.
Cape Town, the capital of South Africa.
The stadium here could hold around seventy thousand spectators, and tonight it would host the first semifinal match.
The time was 7:30 PM.
With about an hour left before kickoff, the starting lineups for both teams were announced.
Soon after, the giant screen displayed the words "No.10 WOO".
The crowd erupted with thunderous cheers.
It was no surprise.
Ho-young currently had eleven goals in this World Cup.
It was impossible not to be excited.
If he scored two more goals, he would equal Just Fontaine's record of thirteen goals in a single tournament.
If he scored two more after that, he would match Ronaldo of Brazil's record of fifteen World Cup goals.
But Spain clearly had no intention of allowing that.
They fielded their strongest possible lineup.
[Spain Starting Lineup]
Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (29, Captain)
Defenders: Juan Capdevila (32), Gerard Piqué (23), Carles Puyol (32), Sergio Ramos (24)
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (21), Xavi Hernández (30), Xabi Alonso (28), Andrés Iniesta (26), Pedro (22)
Forward: David Villa (28)
Formation: 4-2-3-1.
Except for left-back Capdevila and striker David Villa, every player belonged to either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
That meant their team identity was clear and their chemistry exceptional.
[The key players will obviously be Iniesta and Xavi.]
[There is no need to explain their quality. We must also watch David Villa's finishing. He has taken twelve shots this tournament and scored five goals.]
Meanwhile, the national flags of both teams were spread across the stadium.
At that moment, the twenty-two players emerged from the tunnel.
Spain wore red kits.
Korea wore white.
[The players have entered the pitch. The weather is cool, perfect conditions for football.]
[That is right. The stadium altitude is about 1,405 meters, around 300 meters lower than Johannesburg. It should not significantly affect play.]
The national anthem echoed through the stadium, and today it felt unusually long.
With every second, the tension grew.
All twenty-two starting players looked visibly tense.
An immense pressure filled the air.
Despite the massive crowd, nothing else came into focus.
Each player simply tried to calm their pounding heart and steady their mind.
The tension finally erupted during the handshake.
[For Ho-young, this must feel quite strange since he knows every player on the opposing team.]
[That is inevitable.]
If this had been a friendly match, they might have exchanged jokes and greetings.
Instead, they only shared brief handshakes and small smiles.
The match had not even begun, yet the atmosphere was already intense.
Every player's eyes carried determination.
Even spectators watching felt their palms sweat.
Would they reach the final, or drop to the third-place match?
Everything depended on the next ninety minutes.
For Ho-young, it held a special meaning.
Finally.
The talent conditions had changed.
If he met the requirements, he might be able to acquire talents from Iker Casillas and Andrés Iniesta.
However, the conditions were extremely difficult.
For Casillas, the unique talent Reflexes could be acquired.
The condition required achieving a finishing rate of at least fifty percent.
In other words, if he took four shots, at least two had to result in goals.
That did not mean he would hesitate to shoot.
The most important thing was victory.
As always, he would simply give his best.
The players stepped onto the pitch as the night sky began to darken.
At 8:30 PM, the stadium screen began flashing a countdown.
Seventy thousand voices shouted together.
"Three. Two. One."
Beeeeep.
And so, the semifinal between Korea and Spain began.
In head-to-head history, Spain held the advantage with two wins and two draws in four matches.
Korea had once defeated Spain in the 2002 World Cup through penalties, but penalty shootouts were officially recorded as draws.
[Our players must win today. Just one victory. One win will send us to the final.]
[They must play with fighting spirit. They cannot be intimidated just because the opponent is Spain. That is mentality.]
But the gap between hope and reality quickly became apparent.
Spain controlled possession for the first five minutes.
The match was completely one-sided.
[Kim Jung-hoo and Ki Sung-yueng, playing as defensive midfielders, must keep moving. They must protect the back four.]
[Exactly. We cannot allow Spain any space. Right now the match looks similar to Spain's game against the Netherlands. Soon Xavi and Iniesta will try to exploit our weaknesses. We must strengthen the defense.]
[Ki Sung-yueng pushes forward. He presses Iniesta.]
Unlike his previous performances, Ki Sung-yueng pushed the defensive line higher and moved aggressively.
But Xavi Hernández easily escaped his pressure and retained possession.
Fortunately, the situation was not completely unfavorable.
Ho-young's improved midfield control allowed him to actively help in that area.
However, as time passed, Spain's attack became increasingly dangerous.
Short and precise passes increased their possession as they turned midfield into their stage.
Busquets and Xabi Alonso built the play from deep.
Xavi Hernández, positioned as an attacking midfielder, distributed the ball to both flanks.
Iniesta and Pedro, deployed as wingers, moved constantly and disrupted the defensive line.
David Villa, the lone striker, made sharp runs while waiting for key passes.
Everything flowed smoothly.
In contrast, Korea looked increasingly unstable.
The distance between the back four of Lee Young-pyo, Kim Min-soo, Lee Jong-soo, and Cha Du-rim gradually widened.
Meanwhile, wingers Park Ji-seok and Lee Chung-yong were occupied battling in midfield and could not help defensively.
[Korea is showing a different approach compared to other teams that faced Spain. They are defending, but the defensive line is quite high. They are also actively contesting the midfield battle. Perhaps they are preparing for a counter-attack.]
[However, the defense still appears vulnerable. They need to focus more on defending. It is not only Xavi and Iniesta who are dangerous. Xabi Alonso from deep is also a threat. If we are not careful, the space behind the defense could be exploited immediately.]
At that moment.
Boom.
Just as the commentator finished speaking, Xabi Alonso launched a long pass into the air.
At the same time, David Villa broke through the offside line and ran into the open space.
A critical moment.
Thud.
Fortunately, Jung Sung-yong rushed out from near the penalty area and punched the ball away.
[Jung Sung-yong clears it. That was a good save.]
The ball he cleared fell to Lee Jong-soo.
Korea's defense had looked shaky, but the important thing was that they stopped the attack.
Because.
"Run."
The players who had been holding a high line immediately surged forward.
It was the seventh minute of the first half.
"Pass."
"Here."
Except for the two centre-backs, eight players charged forward at once.
Spain's players showed visible shock.
The crowd erupted.
It was the moment the underdog's rebellion began.
(To be continued.)