Chapter 88
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Warrior Race Park Si-hyun
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Park Si-hyun's acrobatic goal left an enormous shock on everyone watching.
Especially the foreign fans—they were hit even harder.
"Whoa! Is that a move a human can pull off?!"
"Oh my god, that's straight out of a movie— a movie!"
"Did Si-hyun train in some Eastern special martial art or something? There's no way you'd see plays like that otherwise!"
"Could this be... the mystique of the East?"
"How does he spin around and unleash a kick like that?! And he's 190 cm tall, right?! How is a human that flexible? I'm 170 and my leg would never go up like that!"
Some stood there with their mouths agape, others dropped their phones as they stared at the scene.
It was just that unbelievable.
The moment the equalizer went in, Germany's onslaught grew even fiercer.
And not long after, another scene as explosive as Park Si-hyun's goal erupted.
Michael Ballack rolls the ball left and... oh! A sudden shot! It's in! Germany takes the lead again!
Zone defense is great and all, but this is what makes Germany scary. Almost every player can unleash a mid-range shot. You have to be really careful with strikes like that.
Just like that, it looked like Germany had taken the lead again...
Cha Du-ri is charging again! Who can stop this guy?! No one! Nobody can!!
Cha Du-ri exploded.
He sprinted down the line without stopping, timing it perfectly before whipping in a cross.
Park Si-hyun met it with a header, just nudging the direction, and it ripped into the net.
The score was tied again.
After that, Germany and South Korea traded attacks relentlessly at each other's goals.
But the goalkeepers—Oliver Kahn and Lee Woon-jae—pulled off save after super save, and the halftime whistle blew with the score locked at 2-2.
The tense balance held firm to the end.
Germany's locker room at halftime.
Coach Rudi Völler looked around at his players with a relaxed smile.
"Haha, Korea's got more grit than I expected. And Park Si-hyun—that artistic goal was beyond words."
Normally, in a situation like this, the coach would be yelling, and the players' faces would be tense.
But Völler's locker room was different.
He was cool-headed yet strangely laid-back.
Emotions ran hot, but judgments were always ice-cold.
"But you know we don't play that kind of soccer."
He crossed his arms and continued in an easy tone.
"Just find the way to win. Let Wenger do the art—we're here for war. No need to feel ashamed over one goal like that. It's just a scratch in battle."
The tension melted from the players' faces at his words.
He didn't blame mistakes or goals conceded. Instead, he grinned like he was enjoying the fight.
"Kahn, what'd you think? Was Park Si-hyun's shot blockable?"
Oliver Kahn, whose ego pierced the heavens, hated questions testing his skill.
But oddly, Völler's words didn't irk him.
He knew it was a question born of trust.
So he smirked and replied.
"Of course. I'm Oliver Kahn. We conceded two, but that's on the defenders."
"Hey, I'm the aggrieved one here!"
Thomas Linke shot his hand up playfully, and laughter erupted in the locker room.
Völler nodded contentedly at the sight.
Less an authoritarian coach, more like a friendly big brother.
That was the team's real weapon.
"Alright, let's talk second-half tactics."
Völler tapped the tactics board slowly as he spoke.
"Honestly, I didn't expect to get hit like this by a tactic turning a forward into a fullback. That's on me. But..."
The corner of his mouth curved up.
"Now I know how to counter it."
Every eye in the room locked onto him.
"First, that fullback. Great physique, fast too. But his touches are rough. Still, he's got the grit to push through."
Völler paused, then grinned.
"So my conclusion... no need to stop him."
"Don't stop him?"
Christoph Metzelder asked, stunned. He'd been battling Cha Du-ri all game.
"Yeah. Just pretend to."
Völler held up a finger.
"His ball control's shaky, so cut passing lanes instead of direct pressure. Pretending to defend makes it simple: it forces rough passes. No need to collide and risk injury. We hold the line, block every passing option. That's our defense."
"What about Park Si-hyun?"
Oliver Kahn asked lowly, arms crossed.
Völler's eyes flashed.
"Good question. Back in my playing days, they said I had a killer nose for goal."
Kahn smirked.
"They also said your technique was lacking."
Völler shrugged with a laugh.
"Haha! Forwards just need to score. Point is, Park Si-hyun's like me. Sharp scoring instinct, and above all, he reads defenders like a book. He knows exactly how they'll react to this tactic or that one—like a grizzled vet."
Völler tapped Park Si-hyun's name on the board.
"So we don't block him either. Herd him. Keep distance, open one angle. Narrow his vision so mid-range shots are his only option. Then Kahn stops it. If he doesn't... it's the keeper's fault, not defense."
Oliver Kahn smirked and shrugged.
"Give me that much help, and I'll stop 'em all. I'm Oliver Kahn."
Völler smiled, satisfied.
"Good. Back to war."
His voice dropped, heavy and steady.
"The world calls us the worst squad ever. We'll show them."
And finally, calmly:
"Just how wrong their eyes are."
South Korea 2-2 Germany
The second half kicked off at 2-2, and both teams scrapped fiercely to break the deadlock.
Germany came out like they'd studied South Korea's first-half tape at 0.25x speed—perfect counters ready.
But South Korea didn't sit idle.
Coach Hiddink gave me a free role.
A literal license to roam the battlefield.
No tactical shackles—just move as I pleased.
Start as a striker? Drop to the wing anytime. Need be, drift into midfield to dictate the whole game.
Striker, midfielder, even defender sometimes—all in one free agent on the pitch.
That's me right now: Park Si-hyun.
The moment I got the free role, it felt like I was flying over the field.
No— I really was.
Even Hiddink's brilliant tactics only let me use 5 out of my 100 plays if I stuck to assigned roles.
Most players max out at those 5.
That's human limits.
But I'm different.
I can pull off every possible scenario in soccer, live.
Soccer's rules and the coach's tactics had me chained—until now. Those shackles are gone.
'In one word... I'm Super Saiyan Park Si-hyun right now.'
No ball coming? I dropped deep.
Like a defender.
Whoosh—
I read Germany's buildup ahead, intercepted right before the pass.
Tap, tap, tap.
From there, it was easy.
From a defender's spot, I nutmegged two opposing forwards in three touches.
The crowd murmured.
"Wait, why's Si-hyun down there?"
"When did he drop back?"
"Dude's just... running. No way, right?"
My insane play had fans rising from their seats one by one.
German players rushed to stop me, but my top speed made it futile.
One sprint, done.
They just chased my number.
Oooohhh—!
The second I saw the defenders' moves guarding the goal, I knew.
Germany wasn't blocking me—they were herding.
Funneling me to one side for a mid-range shot, banking on Kahn.
How'd I know?
Simple.
I see it all.
Defenders' stops, leans, angles— all patterns to my eyes.
Future soccer prioritizes organization over individuals.
That's why people say:
"Soccer in the future is boring."
Individual flair and creativity vanish.
Tactics over skill, data over feel, efficiency over drama.
That's future soccer.
I survived as a defender in that era.
Studied every gesture, toe twitch, glance.
Sure, it was K League then, but the essence is the same.
Knowing it and still not breaking it? Nah.
'Real defenders couldn't do what I do. But I'm Park Si-hyun.'
No long explanation needed.
Just... Park Si-hyun.
That answers everything.
Germany kept herding me.
Opening one angle, narrowing my view to force a mid-ranger.
Makes sense.
Smart, logical, solid approach—even by my standards.
But logic can't stop Park Si-hyun.
'Hmm... what to do?'
Honestly, following their plan works too.
Even the almighty Oliver Kahn can't beat soccer's best, Park Si-hyun.
'He might read my shot direction, but my ball speed's on another level.'
Goalkeeper specialist vs. all-around soccer god.
Difference decided.
'If I weren't a forward, I'd have the Park Si-hyun Award, not Yashin.'
That thought lit my pride on fire.
"Screw it. I'll just smash through. Saiyans are a warrior race anyway, right?"