A Match with Lives on the Line... Praying for It to Bloom

The moment Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the comeback goal, the South Korean bench was overcome with emotion. Quite a few staff members had tears welling up in their eyes. It was a mix of past sorrows, pent-up frustration, joy, catharsis, and a sense of achievement. It is hard to pinpoint any single emotion.

Some might criticize the expression "putting one's life on the line" as outdated or pre-modern, but a single match at the World Cup is still exactly that. Players risk everything on this one match. Rather than being about fame, money, or a stepping stone for growth, it is an attitude toward the "dream stage" they have envisioned all their lives, and a "sense of duty" to run on behalf of countless colleagues who shared that same dream. Therefore, their entire lives are right here.

I saw the players in the tunnel before the match against the Czech Republic. They were no different from gladiators ahead of a life-or-death struggle. The spirit of Lee Ki-hyuk, who was a "surprise selection" and started in the most crucial opening match. The face of Paik Seung-ho, praying earnestly with his hands clasped. There are no personal feelings here. The only thing that exists is the hope that if there is an almighty God, He will be with us.

Our players have not received proper support over the past few years. They tried to win back the fans' hearts "without neglecting a single moment," but the world of competition is not that easy. The opponents prepare just as hard, and sometimes, unfairly, luck plays too big a role. That is why everyone offers all kinds of prayers to bring even that luck to their side.


On match days, I wear my most neatly ironed shirt. I do not throw away even a single piece of trash carelessly. On that day, I try to be as kind as possible to those around me. I do this out of fear that a single action of mine might somehow harm the players' efforts, which they have staked their lives on.

Even so, matches do not always go as planned. We were well aware of the physical gap and had prepared sufficiently, but it was difficult to overcome. When Krejčí's goal went in, a wave of fear swept over our bench: "Is this how our hard-built tower crumbles?" The public relations officer said all kinds of critical article headlines flashed through their mind.

Countless voices seemed to ring in their ears, criticizing: "They said they spent over three weeks adapting to the high altitude, yet they were beaten by the Czech Republic, who arrived just a day ago," or reprimanding the inadequate response to the "army of giants."


So, the moment Hwang In-beom scored the equalizer, relief came before joy. "At least we'll face less criticism." And when the game turned around, the hardships of the past few years flashed before my eyes like a kaleidoscope.

We have only played one match so far. But this single match, this single victory, is the result of our squad risking everything. If we could "take our profit and run," we would love to, but we must risk everything all over again as we prepare for the match against Mexico.

The outcome cannot be known in advance. Depending on it, public opinion will shift again in the blink of an eye. It is cruel, but that is football, and that is the World Cup.

My mind is not entirely clear because I haven't slept for more than two consecutive hours. It seems there will be even more work to do. Still, when the workload increases because we won, it is manageable. In any case, I will wash my shirt clean again and pick up any trash I see. If only doing so can help us bloom.

Sincerely, Lee Jung-chan in Guadalajara.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.