A match 111 → soccer controversy on loyalty, 'Veteran defender'Kim Young-kwon"I'll prove it, what I have to overcome"
Aug 29, 2024
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The words of "Veteran defender" Kim Young-kwon (Ulsan HD) were short and concise.
Ulsan HD, where Kim Young-kwon belongs, drew 2-2 against Gwangju FC in the second leg of the semifinals of the 2024 Hana Bank Korea Cup at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on the 28th. Ulsan recorded a total of 3-2 in the first and second games and won the ticket to the finals. Ulsan won 1-0 in the first game on the 21st. Kim Young-kwon started the day and helped the team advance to the finals.
Kim Young-kwon was recently called by Hong Myung-bo, the coach of the South Korean national soccer A team. He will be on standby for the first and second rounds of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup against Palestine (home) and Oman (away) in September. Five Ulsan players, including Kim Young-kwon, were named in the national team. However, some have caused controversy over `Loyalty Soccer.' It is suspected that head coach Hong called out players who know 'well' such as Kim Young-kwon.
After the Korea Cup, Kim Young-kwon said "There was always a bad sound even before I went to the 2018 World Cup in Russia and before I went to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. I've heard that a lot, but in the end, the result is important."
He said he has yet to talk about the national team with other Ulsan players who were selected for the A match in September. Kim Young-kwon said, "(Ulsan) There is still a game left. Also, I think that our team's culture is important not only for the national team players but also for other players. Players who did not make it to the national team can show their disappointment. We are creating such a culture."
Kim Young-kwon, born in 1990, made his A-match debut in a friendly match against Nigeria in 2010. For more than a decade, he has been active as a starting center back in Korean soccer. He firmly defended Korea's back door at various big tournaments such as the World Cup and Asian Cup. He is truly a veteran with 111 A matches alone.
Kim Young-kwon said, `I think it's natural to hear stories about the national team, whether it's good or bad. I'll prove it. If I do well in the national team, I think all those stories will disappear."
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Ulsan coach Kim Pan-gon also said "It seems that only five players were selected (for the national team). There are a few more players to go. More of our players should have been chosen. He cheered the players saying, `It's hard to stay in Ulsan all the time, so you can go to the national team, learn, grow, refresh yourself, and start again.'
epi17@sportschosun.com
