Chapter 115
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 115
Chapter Title Denmark Match Day
The day of the match against Denmark had arrived.
The thrill of joining the national team at a young age and becoming a Taegeuk Warrior had long faded.
Maybe because Id already lived this life once, I got used to it in no time.
The constant photos from reporters passing by, the microphones shoved in my face without shame at every opportunityit was all familiar now.
Unlike me, Coach Ivica had a strict policy no interviews until the game was over.
All the players, including me, welcomed it with open arms.
Well, except for a few who were dying for some mic time.
Literally dying for it.
Like puppies desperate to poop, they fidgeted and eyed the reporters whenever they appeared.
The prime example was Bae Sanghyun.
Hey, why are you so desperate for an interview?
Youve got fans overflowing, but I dont have any. Gotta get my face out there to snag even one, right?
For just a fan?
You look down on fans?
Hey, fans come naturally if you play well.
Bae Sanghyun scratched his chin at that.
I had a solid debut at Eintracht, but my fan count didnt budge.
Then lets chalk it up to your looks.
Ugh, you little punk...
Teasing Bae Sanghyun was endlessly entertaining.
Anyway, the real match was finally here.
I entered the locker room, my heart pounding as I eyed my spot.
YOON.T.Y
7
A brandnew white away kit hung there, adorned with the Taegeukgi and Korea Football Association tiger patch.
Number 7.
It had been Park Mingyus number until now.
Why did I have it?
Did the coach give it to me?
Absolutely not.
No coach in their right mind would underestimate what a jersey number means to a player.
Even coaches avoid touching a players number unless they absolutely have to.
Surprisingly, Park Mingyu had handed it over to me himself.
Hard to believe? Its true.
He seemed to have changed his strategy.
By passing me the number 7like Matteo Silva had donehe could spin a heartwarming story, pretend we were buddies, and polish his image.
Not a bad deal for him, really.
In exchange for giving me his 7, hed snagged the retired veterans 10.
For him, 7 and 10 held similar value, so with the goodwill bonus, he was probably thrilled.
Wow, at this rate... I might not be a Park Mingyu PhD, but bachelors level for sure?
Oh, and I wasnt starting today.
Why bench the key player like me for the second half?
Watch closely and get a read on the players. Youll see things practice and training miss.
Thats what he said.
Rightprotagonists always make their entrance at the end.
I took my seat on the bench and scanned the stadium.
Parken Stadium was smaller than New St. James Park.
It held about 38,000 fanshalf the capacity of our 60,000seat home ground.
But Europe was Europe.
The place was packed solid with red jerseys.
Denmarks colors.
I spotted some Koreans whod traveledcompatriots and dedicated fans.
They blended in with their red Korea kits, but the waving Taegeukgi flags gave them away.
Then the whistle blew.
Denmark had fielded their full firstteam squad.
The standout was Arsenal keeper Brohich.
Denmarks lone bigleaguer, pretty much.
Among the outfielders, Matthias Petersen caught the eye.
He played for Midtjylland in the Danish Superliga.
And who else... oh, him too.
Frederik Jansen.
A 19yearold kid, also at Midtjylland.
In my past life, Id faced him plenty at Atletico Madrid.
Not there yet, but hed grow into their starter.
Even without that potential, was he a threat to us?
Thats when it happened.
Matthias Petersen, our person of interest, whipped in an early cross from the right flank straight to striker Andersen.
Andersen controlled it sideways and rifled a shot at goal.
Yoo Sungjae reacted on instinct, thrusting out a leg and blocking it with his thigh.
Ouch, that had to sting.
His thigh flushed red, but Yoo Sungjae didnt have time to gripehe tracked the rebound and leaped to clear it.
Thats Yoo Sungjae for you!
The moment I thought that, before our midfielder could collect the clearance, Frederik Jansen snatched it and fed it back to Petersen.
Petersen feinted wide to fool Yoon Jinyong, then cut inside.
Kim Ho blocked his path, so he switched to Jansen, whod advanced up the line.
Yoo Sungjae and Park Donggeun werent in sync.
The center opened wide, and Jansen blasted toward goal.
Shin Hoseong was positioned perfectly to smother it.
Close call.
Good save, but in that open center earlier, Shin Hoseong shouldve called it out and organized.
That was his weakness showing.
The defensive lines coordination was off too.
They shouldve tracked each other betterinstead, they fixated on the forwards.
Not good.
Denmarks scariest weapon was their teamwork.
Right now, their national team was built from Midtjylland and Copenhagen playersthe top dogs battling for the Superliga crown.
Only three outfielders from elsewhere.
Teamwork was inevitable.
Plus, unlike our Asian scraps, they faced Europes giants with lesser talent, so experience counted.
Personally, I figured losing 30 to France beat beating China 30 for growth.
We, meanwhile, came from all over.
Smart players adapt quick to any tactic, but cobbling together from different clubs under a new coach and system? Tough.
Maybe thats why the coach said we couldnt beat Denmarkhe knew.
Our headtohead was 1 draw, 1 loss for usnot a team to underrate.
Silver lining even without rhythm, our defenders individual quality held firm.
Still, it was nailbiting.
This must be why fans love FC Korea.
Not a sports matcha thriller movie.
The edgeofyourseat kind.
But solid defense and an attack led by Park Mingyu and Jo Dongho had limits.
Our midfield was especially vulnerable.
In the 442, the two midsKim Ho and Lee Hyunseokwere defensive specialists.
They contained Denmark well, but Frederik Jansen was on fire today, tearing through.
We needed an attacking midfielder.
I glanced sideways.
The guy who could handle attacking and playmaking dutiesKim Hyunchansoowas right there.
Our first meeting flashed back.
Id asked him back then.
Whys your name Hyunchansoo, hyung?
Couldnt outright say, Whyd your parents name you that crap? So he replied.
Me? Names Chansoo. Two surnamesDads Kim, Moms Hyun.
...I just shut my eyes tight.
Anyway, teamwise, 433 seemed better. Why 442?
Keep it defensive presub to protect the score?
Makes sense. And hey, that hack coach in the 2034 World Cup ran 442.
Not total garbage.
We never got hammeredjust minimal losses, turtleshelling to the end.
Thats when it happened.
Ah.
Frederik Jansen, rampaging wild, finally struck.
A piercing throughball split midfield and defenseAndersen finished it.
Denmark fans roared as Andersen roared back.
10.
Wed done zip, and first half ended.
The team trudged off after a brutal half, faces blank with exhaustion.
No wondertheyd run like dogs.
Coach eyed the gathered players.
You all felt it in that half. How its like your 2034 tactics.
So he was recreating that?
Why?
As you sensed, we concede few but get bossed around. This setup cant beat even the Denmark you underrated.
He paused, scanning us.
But I set this up for one reason to check your defensive structure. Needed the most familiar tactics for that.
Ah, got it.
Second half, we switch. 433specifically, 4213.
He pulled up the tablet and slotted in the formation and names.
FW Kim HyunsuJo DonghoPark Mingyu
MF Yoon Taeyang
Kim HoLee Hyunseok
DF Yoon JinyongYoo SungjaePark DonggeunWoo Taehyun
GK Shin Hoseong
One of the front two dropped, my name in midfield.
Defense, keep it up. Dont get downwere matching Jansens hot streak, and your teamworks not peaked yet. Just block like you have.
Yeah, early slips aside, theyd covered well.
Attackers, stick to your usual play unless I say otherwise. Cant micromanage with our short time together. Show me your normal gamesell me on you.
Eyes lit up.
Alright, lets go. You got this.
He sent us out.
Following them into the tunnel, he grabbed me.
Taeyang.
Yeah?
Worlds a player I respect and love most. Guess who?
Uh, hmm...
Croatian coach? Obvious.
Luka Modric?
Right.
He nodded, eyes blazing.
Be my Luka Modric.
I got what he wanted.
Sure.
Hell, why not.