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Best Asian team in World Cups, South Korea dreams of repeating feat in Qatar

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One of the most memorable World Cup stories was South Korea’s unlikely campaign in 2002, when the country co-hosted the tournament with Japan.

It was a competition of unprecedented brands. First held in Asia and to be divided between two countries, it was the one that registered the best performance of a team from the continent in World Cups. Driven by their fans, Korea advanced to the semifinals, leaving behind nations with more tradition and even champions.

Under the command of Dutchman Guus Hiddink, the team that had never passed the group stage and had not even won a game in the five World Cups it participated led its group and advanced to the knockout stage undefeated, with two victories (Poland and Portugal) and a tie (United States).

Soon in the octaves, another feat. He left Italy, then three-time world champion, behind, with a 2-1 victory. It was a duel, however, marked by controversy. First, the expulsion of the Italian Totti for simulation, after a dubious bid on a penalty. Afterwards, the referee disallowed a goal by Tommasi for offside, apparently on the same line.

In the next phase, it would be the Spaniards who would leave the pitch annoyed with the refereeing after a game against the Koreans. This time with even more arguments. Korea won the match on penalties, but the Spanish team could have settled the game in extra time, when Morientes had a goal disallowed by mistake.

Joaquín went to the baseline and, right above it, took a cross for Morientes to head into the net. The Egyptian referee Gamal Al-Ghandour called the ball out, without it even coming close to going out. The bid would be final since there was still the golden goal.

The refereeing error did not stop the celebration of the local fans, who were facing the best campaign of an Asian team in World Cups, with qualification for the semifinals.

The search for the unpublished final would only bump into the Germans. In the last phase before the decision, the hosts lost 1-0 and ended up in the dispute for third place, in which they were defeated again, this time against Turkey, by 3-2.

In four World Cups held after that (2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018), no country in Asia has equaled the achievement of the Koreans, not even them. Reaching the final stages again is, therefore, the main objective of the South Korean team in the Qatar World Cup.

In the Middle East, the team will also be led by a European, as in 2002. This time, the Portuguese Paulo Bento will be in charge of the selection.

The coach released this Saturday (12) the list of players called up for the competition. And the presence of Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min was a source of relief for fans.

The forward was injured ten days ago during a duel against Olympique de Marseille in the Champions League. Paulo Bento said that he will take special care of the player.

“We are in contact with him and with Tottenham’s medical department. We have to wait and analyze the situation day by day. It is time for a decision, and the most important thing is that he recovers as best he can, that he feels comfortable “, commented.

Last Wednesday (9), the athlete himself posted a text in which he said he would be ready for the tournament despite the physical problem. “Playing for your country in the World Cup is the dream of many children growing up, as was mine too. I won’t miss it. I can’t wait to represent our beautiful country, see you soon,” he said.

In Qatar, the player will compete in the third World Cup of his career. In 2018, in Russia, he scored Korea’s second goal in a 2-0 win over Germany in the last round of the group stage. As a result, the Germans bid farewell to the tournament. The Koreans also did not advance, but left the field with the pride of having eliminated the then world champions.

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