BVB Dortmund -1
July 5, 2010, Monday. The World Cup fever still lingered after South Korea made history by advancing to the away round of 16 for the first time ever.
I proudly secured my spot on the U-19 national team training camp roster.
And sure enough, a banner went up at the school gate.
Whatever. It was nothing new to me. I'd seen plenty in my previous life.
But Gyeowol seemed amazed that my name was up there, snapping a photo of herself flashing a V-sign in front of the banner and sending it over. I saved the pic on my smartphone and replied.
Hmm. Weird. I definitely sent that heart. So why no reply?
I didn't figure out what happened to Gyeowol until that evening.
The U-19 national team roster hadn't changed much since the last gathering.
'Sigh... feels a bit empty without that tuna.'
Aside from Cha Dong-won, who'd been called up to the U-23 team and was absent.
Anyway, on the first day of camp, after light training, the U-19 youth team players inexplicably gathered in my room during the team bonding session—despite no tuna.
"So, scouts from Dortmund and Swansea are coming to check you out, right?"
I answered Jo Hyun-soo's envious stare with a casual shrug.
"Yeah. The federation set up a good opportunity."
He was a player who'd later be known as Bit Hyun-soo, but for now, he was the second-string keeper behind No Dong-in on the U-19 team.
"Whoa..."
As I watched Jo Hyun-soo gape in awe, I drifted into thought. It felt kinda surreal.
Meeting faces from the senior national team at such a young age again, while players who'd been starters in youth days vanished from the roster—only for the benchwarmers to steadily climb to the senior team. Wild.
As I pondered the oddity of my regression, the older guys unleashed a barrage of questions.
"But what's Swansea? Never heard of it in the EPL."
"It's a second-division team. Home base is in Wales."
Swansea City hadn't promoted to the Premier League yet, and with Ki Sung-yueng still at Celtic, it wasn't well-known in Korea. Even the Korea Football Association president thought it was an English club.
"Huh? Wales but playing in the English league?"
"Same Commonwealth, you idiot."
"Scotland has its own league, dumbass. Hey kid, no league in Wales?"
At center-back Lee Tae-beom's question, I explained patiently like a tutor.
"Wales cares more about rugby than soccer, so their pro league only started in 1992. Swansea stuck with the English leagues they'd always been in."
Lee Tae-beom nodded reluctantly at my expression.
"Ah... got it. Anyway, did your coach okay it? Mine blocked study abroad by changing kids' positions."
"Yeah. He even pitched ideas to support my overseas stint."
"Hmm... your coach sounds like a total weirdo."
I nodded. Coach Choi Gi-hyeon was a weirdo.
"Grr... Kid, don't forget what you said before. No holiday calls, and I'll post that you changed after going pro."
I put on a serious face for the playful hyungs.
"Everyone, work hard on the pitch. It's a chance to catch scouts' eyes too—not just me. Who knows? You might land an overseas deal."
A few eyes in the room sharpened at my words. Some brushed it off, but that's life—everyone has their own path.
As I smiled contentedly at the fired-up players...
"...But why's this kid talking so casually all natural-like?"
Striker Lee Ho-jong dropped the awkward truth, and most glares turned hostile.
It felt natural. Busted.
"Truth is, I'm older than all you guys."
I pointed at the menacing hyungs, and ended up force-fed stale Confucian hierarchy.
Time flew, and soon it was time to depart for Vietnam.
Unlike last time, the entire U-19 camp roster was heading out.
'Cheaper flights maybe.'
Honestly, no idea why. Coach Han Gwang-jong might've pushed the federation for morale, or Vietnam was just cheaper than the UAE.
Either way, the vibe at Paju NFC was solid. No one slacked or got edgy during training.
Bench players grinded to steal starting spots; starters pushed harder to hold theirs. The kids didn't snag my position, though. Effort pays off eventually.
"Don't cry missing noona over there! And don't choke in front of scouts!"
With summer break underway, I left for Vietnam under Gyeowol's send-off.
July 24, Saturday. Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh Tong Nat Stadium.
"At least the competition's just a Championship side."
Jurgen Frye, Dortmund scout there for Son Jinho, eyed the white Swansea City rep in the stands with a bitter mutter.
"How'd Dortmund end up like this?"
He recalled the past. Dortmund rose as Munich's rival in the '90s success era. But execs tried Germany's first stock market listing, pumping shares with reckless spending. CL exit tanked finances. They sold the home stadium, cut salaries 20%, lost stars, even borrowed from Bayern.
Just four years ago, bankruptcy or relegation loomed.
'Show half of that footage potential, and he's ours.'
Klopp called him an instant-impact player, but even if not, Bundesliga rules required 16 years and 6 months. A year away. With video skills real, a year's polish would make him first-team ready—that was scout consensus.
"Or lobby DFL to drop it neatly to 16."
As Frye muttered, the game rolled on. Son Jinho intercepted Australia's pass and slotted a piercing through-ball to the front line. The Dortmund scout's heart raced.
"So grateful no Schalke bastards here."
Meanwhile, Coach Choi Gi-hyeon, watching the broadcast, lit a cigarette in awe at the slicing pass.
"Grr... kid's ceiling is nowhere in sight."
Not a long coaching career, but 20 years in soccer gave a feel for potential.
But not with Son Jinho.
What player recites latest tactical trends like scripture?
'He's one of two types.'
Soccer maniac. Or second-lifer from the future. Latter's ridiculous—would've been a legendary investor, not a footballer.
'If he came from the future and still plays soccer, he's a maniac anyway.'
Either way, soccer lunatic. The "mad genius" kind.
Not bad. World-changers were always the "mad" ones.
"I've come to pass on good words."
Choi recalled Son Jinho's dawn visit, eyes gleaming with historical-madman madness, discussing tactics.
'Previous coaches caused issues or neglected the kids. Personally, I'd love Coach Choi Gi-hyeon, who knows Son Jinho best, to go and look after him.'
He inhaled slowly, remembering the association president's words. Ditch everything for Germany? Easy to say.
"Park Ji-sung... no, Germany, so surpass Cha Bum-geun? It's me."
Yet Choi oddly craved that path. Maybe as a forgotten player, he'd live vicariously through his protégé.
'Sigh... gotta brush up on German again.'
Player days, head full of dreams, he'd studied German blindly to surpass Cha Bum in Germany. Felt wasteful now.
"Hoo-ooo-ooo-ooo─!"
Anyway, grinning ear-to-ear at Son Jinho's goal and Hoo celebration, Choi stubbed out his smoke.
'Whew. Secondhand smoke's bad, they say.'
For Korea soccer's future, quitting cigs was nothing.
And soon, Choi regretted it.
'...Damn. Should've just stuck to that one.'