The Friendly That Means Everything

“Good evening, football fans of South Korea! Coming to you live from Seoul World Cup Stadium, where the South Korean U-23 national team faces off against the Argentina U-23 national team in a friendly evaluation match. I'm your caster, Park Dong-hoon of SBK Sports. And joining me on commentary today is analyst Jang Yu-sung. Welcome, Mr. Jang!”

“Yes, hello everyone. This is Jang Yu-sung on commentary. Today we finally have the match football fans have been waiting for. Perhaps it's the anticipation of the upcoming Olympics, but the atmosphere here has been electric since well before kickoff.”

“That's right! With the Olympic finals just around the corner, this is the last evaluation match where our players get a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠final check before the real thing. And today's opponents are no pushovers — the U-23 squad of Argentina, one of South America's powerhouses. It promises to be a stern test, but for our players, there could be no better experience or measuring stick.”

“Especially given the expectations riding on this team. Our U-23 squad just won the Asian Cup, and the public's hopes have soared accordingly. The big question heading into this friendly is whether they can carry that winning momentum all the way onto the Olympic stage.”

“Exactly. Argentina always fields world-class sides at every age level. Each player possesses outstanding technical ability, but their organization and that distinctly South American passion can't be overlooked either. I'm very curious to see what kind of performance our national team puts on against them today.”

The broadcast screen showed both teams warming up lightly on the pitch ahead of kickoff.

“Now, our South Korean U-23 starting lineup has been announced. It's built around the core of the Asian Cup-winning squad, as expected — but there's one name in particular everyone should keep an eye on today. Mr. Jang, striker Kim Hanbin has been named to the starting eleven. His first-ever call-up to the national team. You'd have to call it a bold ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠move, wouldn't you?”

The broadcast camera zoomed in on Kim Hanbin stretching on the pitch.

“That's right. Fans who haven't watched the K League in the past month might ask, 'Kim Hanbin? Who's that?' But for domestic fans who have been following the league, he's a name nobody could miss. It's remarkable enough that a player with no official record since middle school football made his debut directly in K League 1 — but what's truly astonishing is the performance he delivered in that professional debut. It was, quite simply, overwhelming. It stunned K League fans and pundits alike.”

“Manager Baek Seungnam clearly rates Kim Hanbin's ability highly, because he's named him to the starting eleven over Kim Honggeun, the hero of the Asian Cup triumph. The intent seems to be gauging whether Kim Hanbin can be an asset at the Olympic finals through this friendly against Argentina.”

“Yes, and frankly, his preliminary call-up stirred up quite a debate. No matter how impressive his debut impact was, is it reasonable to call up a player with only three professional matches under his belt? On the other hand, a performance like that surely deserves a look. Both sides argued fiercely. We'll see today what Kim Hanbin is made of.”

“And this friendly is also a chance to earn a spot on the final Olympic roster. Twenty-eight players were called up to the preliminary squad, but only twenty-two names can actually be submitted to the IOC. Subtract the three wildcards joining later, and that leaves nineteen spots. So out of twenty-eight preliminary players, only nineteen will actually step onto the Olympic stage — the competition among them is bound to be fierce.”

“Indeed. Let's hope a strong squad comes together through this healthy competition. As a football fan and a citizen of South Korea, I sincerely hope our national team delivers a proud performance on the Olympic stage, where the eyes of the world will be watching.”

Inside the South Korean U-23 locker room before kickoff.

Manager Baek Seungnam gathered the players for a final briefing.

“Alright, everyone's confirmed the starting lineup for today?”

At the manager's words, the players nodded in unison.

“One thing you all need to know before we play. Since this is a friendly evaluation match, I've arranged with Argentina in advance that both teams can use unlimited substitutions today.”

At the manager's words, a few players' eyes went wide.

“And those of you starting will all come off in the second half. So if you're in the starting eleven, pour everything you have into the first half. And if your name isn't on the team sheet — eleven fresh players go on in the second half. Understood?!”

“Yes, sir!”

The players' answer rang through the locker room.

Hanbin listened to the manager, thinking to himself.

In an official match, substitution rules would cap things at three to five ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠changes. But since today's match against Argentina is a friendly, they've agreed to allow free player swaps without any limits…

Either way, his name was on the team sheet — which meant he couldn't afford to settle. He resolved once more to show everything he had in this match.

And I already told Mom and Dad this would be my national team debut. They said they'd be watching for sure.

Manager Baek Seungnam studied the players' faces for a moment, then turned to those who hadn't made the starting or substitute lists.

“And if you don't get to play today, don't be too disappointed. There's one more evaluation match next week. To everyone who sits out today, I promise you a chance to play in the next one. I stake my name on it.”

At the manager's promise, a faint glimmer of hope crossed the faces of the players left off the list.

It was all too common for players to be called up to international tournaments and friendlies only to never set foot on the pitch, warming the bench the entire time before heading home.

Against that backdrop, a manager personally guaranteeing their next opportunity was a powerful motivator.

Manager Baek Seungnam immediately launched into a tactical briefing on today's match alongside his coaching staff.

The tactical board displayed Argentina U-23's expected formation and the movements of their key players.

The strategic role Baek had designed for Kim Hanbin wasn't all that different from the one he'd performed under manager Kim Seongcheol at his club, Suwon Blue Sky.

Play as a target striker at the tip of the attack — win the aerial duels against the opposition defenders, create chances for fellow forwards, or go for goal himself.

The one difference from Suwon's system lay in how the attack was built.

Where manager Kim Seongcheol of Suwon had pursued a long-ball style so extreme it bordered on the radical, all to maximize Hanbin's aerial dominance, manager Baek Seungnam favored constructing attacks through a more meticulous build-up process.

Of course, with a proven heading machine like Kim Hanbin at his disposal, Baek had every intention of deploying effective long balls whenever the situation called for it.

His aim was simply to attack the opposition defense through a variety of routes rather than depending blindly on long balls.

The tactical coach came over to Hanbin's side and laid out his detailed instructions.

“Compared to how you play for Suwon, drop about half a step lower and operate between the striker and center-forward lines. Put more focus into linking up with the midfielders and creating space with your movement. Unlike Suwon's 4-4-2, we run a 4-3-3, so keep a close eye on both wingers and feed them well. And don't forget — when a long ball comes up from our defensive third, don't hesitate. use your heading to create chances as much as possible. It's a lot to carry, but I'm counting on you. Got it?”

“Yes, Coach.”

Then came the final briefing on Argentina's key players — their traits, the dangers to watch for, and each position's role and movement — and the players filed out of the locker room.

As Hanbin made his way toward the players' tunnel, someone called out to him.

“Hanbin! Hey, Hanbin!”

He turned around to find Cha Kangmin standing there in a tracksuit, grinning ear to ear.

“Huh?! Hyung! What are you doing here?”

As a wildcard, Cha Kangmin was supposed to join the national team only at the Olympic finals.

“Got bored, figured I'd swing by. Suwon to Seoul's nothing once you hit the highway. So how's national team life treating you? Didn't miss your favorite hyung even a little?”

“Well… I can't say I missed you. I've been getting by, one way or another. But how'd you even get in here? Don't they stop you at the entrance?”

“Hey, my face is my ID. Who in Korean football doesn't know me? Ah — wait! Hey, you little punk!”

As if remembering something, Cha Kangmin smacked Hanbin on the back.

“That interview you did when you moved into the national team center — what was it? 'The communication style Cha Kangmin hyung taught me'? When did I ever tell you to write posts full of profanity online?!”

Apparently Cha Kangmin had watched the interview Hanbin gave when he entered the national training center.

“Come on, hyung, did you forget?! You definitely said it! 'Get closer to the fans, be more friendly with them!' So I just did exactly what you told me—”

Hanbin protested as if wronged, but Cha Kangmin only raised his voice further.

“Hey! Does 'getting closer to the fans' mean swearing and talking down to them?! Because of you, I got hauled in front of our club's CEO and absolutely destroyed! 'What on earth has our captain been teaching his juniors?' — that's what he said!”

At the news that Cha Kangmin had been summoned and chewed out all the way up to the club CEO, Hanbin grew sheepish.

“Uh… um… that's… really sorry about that, hyung.”

“Hahh… whatever. It's in the past. Look — South American kids tend to play rough. Don't get worked up and start a fight or pick up an injury over nothing. Be careful out there.”

As if nothing had happened, Cha Kangmin's expression softened instantly as he offered the advice.

“Thanks, hyung. I know you're busy — I appreciate you coming all the way here.”

“Yeah, yeah, now you know. Call me when it's over.”

Cha Kangmin gave Hanbin's shoulder one more pat and moved off to exchange greetings with the other staff.

By the time Hanbin finished talking with Cha Kangmin and reached the players' waiting tunnel, it was already bustling with both teams.

On one side stood the South Korean players in their red kits; across the way, the Argentina U-23 squad in white-and-sky-blue vertical stripes, all waiting to take the field.

They'd be battling each other in minutes, but perhaps because this was only a friendly, the air between the two sides was warm rather than competitive — more 'let's put on a good show' than 'let's destroy them.'

Players traded brief greetings — a clap on the shoulder here, a slap of palms there. Nothing hostile, nothing sharp-edged.

Hanbin, too, mixed among the Argentine players.

He offered light nods to their faces, bumped fists with outstretched hands, and patted shoulders in greeting.

But he could feel it — every Argentine player who made even brief physical contact with him had his expression shift, ever so subtly.

“¡Hostia! Este tío tiene unos hombros que no son normales, ¡son como piedras! (Whoa! This guy's shoulders are no joke — they're like rocks!)”

One Argentine player whispered in Spanish to the teammate beside him the moment he patted Hanbin's shoulder.

Another Argentine swept his eyes up and down Hanbin's burly frame and clicked his tongue.

“Madre mía, mira ese cuerpo. Nuestros defensas lo van a pasar fatal hoy, ¿eh? Jaja. (Good lord, look at that body. Our defenders are going to have a miserable time today, huh? Heh.)”

They carried on their conversation freely, clearly assuming Hanbin couldn't understand a word of Spanish.

It apparently never crossed their minds that a player from Korea, on the far side of the globe in East Asia, might understand what they were saying.

In a way, it was a perfectly reasonable assumption.

Watching the Argentine players chuckle away in Spanish, Hanbin briefly considered greeting them in Spanish — then thought better of it.

Hmm… hold on. Those guys have no idea I understand Spanish, do they? This… this might actually come in handy. I might even be able to hear what they're saying to each other during the match.

With the announcement for the players' entrance, both teams followed the referees out onto the pitch.

The moment they emerged from the tunnel, the roar of the crowd washing over the stadium hit them.

WAAAAAAAH—!!

Seoul World Cup Stadium — fueled by the nation's anticipation for the coming Olympics and the memory of the U-23 Asian Cup title — was packed with a crowd far too large to believe this was merely a U-23 evaluation match.

Taegeukgi flags rippled throughout the stands, and fans waved their cheering sticks, sending waves of support toward the players.

And so the pre-match ceremony began. Hanbin lined up with his teammates at the center of the pitch, placed a hand over his chest, and sang the national anthem.

Through the hand pressed to the left side of his chest, he could vividly feel the texture of the red national team jersey — and the heavy, pounding beat of his own heart.

So this is what it feels like to sing the anthem in a national team uniform.

The emotions surging through him were unlike anything before.

When the anthem ended, the players of both teams dispersed to their respective halves to prepare for kickoff.

With the referee's whistle, the friendly between U-23 South Korea and U-23 Argentina was underway.

In the opening stages, the South Korean side attempted to pick apart Argentina's goal with the meticulous build-up manager Baek Seungnam had prescribed.

But Argentina's midfield pressure and defensive organization proved far more solid than anticipated.

Watching from the tip of the attack, Hanbin felt a rising frustration.

Hmm… both our wingers are struggling more than I expected…

Hanbin's read was correct. South Korea's two starting wingers were, even to his eyes, being beaten for individual skill and pace by Argentina's fullbacks, unable to make anything happen.

With penetration down the flanks stalling, no matter how good a pass Hanbin sprayed out to the wingers, it was never going ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to amount to anything.

Before long, the planned build-up itself began to break down.

On the home bench, manager Baek Seungnam — his stomach clearly churning at the sluggish flow of the match — stepped out to the edge of his technical area, shouting instructions at his two wingers.

Then he issued new orders to Hanbin as well.

“Hanbin! Stop trying to build it up so much! If you see an opening, just let it fly! We'll pick up the rebound and go again!”

Manager Baek deliberately issued his instructions in pure Korean, avoiding English words like 'second ball' or 'shooting' so the Argentine players wouldn't understand him.

Got it. If I see an opening, shoot on sight.

Hanbin grinned to himself as he took in the manager's instructions.

No need to overthink it anymore — he could now play the game the way he trusted most.

The manager's new directive was relayed to the two wingers as well.

Most mid-range shots sail miles off target into the sky — the so-called 'home runs.' But given the shooting accuracy and power Kim Hanbin had already proven in training, it was a tactic well worth attempting.

High probability of a shot on target meant, naturally, more second-ball chances.

And not long after the manager's tactical shift, the opportunity arrived for South Korea.

After exchanging short passes with a midfielder in the middle of the park, Kim Hanbin received the ball once more.

Two Argentine defenders stood in front of him.

But they were pressed tight, seemingly intent on cutting off the passing lanes toward the wingers.

Thanks to that, more than enough space had opened up for a shot — and Hanbin didn't hesitate.

Roughly twenty minutes into the match, South Korea's first shot of the game exploded forth.

BOOM—!

The ball left Kim Hanbin's foot and tore toward the Argentine goal at breathtaking speed.