Chapter 118
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 118
Chapter Title Facing the Netherlands
The Netherlands was a country where periods of darkness and golden eras starkly alternated.
After enduring a gloomy valley generation for a while, suddenly the national team roster would fill up with a constellation of star players.
The Dutch side we were facing this time could be seen as transitioning from their dark ages into a golden era.
Most of them around twenty years old.
They might look like easy pickings as rookies now, but down the line, every single one would turn into monsters thriving at big clubs.
It was truly amazing to think about.
How did such a small country like the Netherlands produce talents not just one or two, but in droves, periodically?
Made you wonder if there really was such a thing as soccer genes.
I heard the Dutch kids play dirty when theyre on the national team.
On the flight to the Netherlands, Bae Sanghyun said from the seat next to me.
Who knows.
Wed have to play them to find out.
I had no history with the Dutch national team. This was my first time too.
Well, no matter how rough these kids get, how bad could it be? Theyll probably just end up collecting cards fumbling around.
Bae Sanghyun shot me an incredulous look at my words.
Hey, youre the kid here.
Oh, right.
Sometimes I factored in the life Id lived past my current age.
Did that mean my mental age was high? Nah.
After living about fifty years total, what Id realized was that men didnt mature with ageit was just that their bodies and stamina couldnt keep up with the antics anymore, and they had face to save, so they held back.
Give a healthy young body with no concern for appearances to a hundredyearold man, and hed be right back to acting like a rowdy teen or twentysomething.
I was living proof.
Of course, my speech patterns and habits would still scream hundredyearold geezer.
Lucky for me on that front.
Starting young, Id been able to pick up speech for each age group along the way.
Still, every now and thenvery rarelyId unconsciously think something like, twenties? Kid stuff?
If someone knew Id regressed, would they call me a boomer?
I glanced out the window and saw the plane was already landing.
After disembarking, our national team arrived at the hotel near the Johan Cruyff Arena where the match would take place.
Maybe because wed beaten Denmark, but the hotel area was swarming not just with Korean reporters but a good number of Dutch ones too.
Its Yoon!
Yoon!
Yoon, over here!
Nope.
Seemed theyd gathered because of me.
The Dutch reporters snapped photos of me in unison.
The Korean ones were no different.
Player Yoon Taeyang!
Player Yoon Taeyang! At least wave!
They were desperate to get shots of me too.
The national team players eyes all locked onto me at once.
Man, jealous. Yoon Star.
Bae Sanghyun smirked and poked my side.
I shrugged and raised a hand toward the reporters.
Countless spotlights poured down on me.
Damn, blinding as hell.
Yoon Taeyang Lands in the Netherlands.
Will He Shine Against the Netherlands?
The Prince of Toon Wont Back Down in Battle with the Dutch!
Yoon Taeyangs national team debut was the talk of the town even at Newcastle upon Tyne.
The local daily was filled with stories about him.
As usual, the two grandfathers were enjoying a brown ale at Peters pub when they saw the newspaper and grinned happily.
Look at that handsome lad. Wonder whose kid he is.
Exactly. Never thought Id see my grandson in the papers like this.
Peter smiled at the pleased pair.
Must feel good, right?
You bet it does.
No regrets even if we kick the bucket now.
Yeah, exactly.
Oh come on, elders. Dont talk about dying so lightly. Youve gotta see Taeyang rack up trophies for Newcastle, win titles, get married.
At that, the grandfathers exchanged glances.
Taeyang getting married?
Huh, now that you mention it, hes almost grown up.
I wonder what fine lady our Taeyang will marry.
After a moments thought, Maternal Grandfather Kim Cheolhan spoke, and Paternal Grandfather Yoon Changsu cautiously replied.
Having lived here so long, maybe hell meet an English girl?
Hmm a blonde granddaughterinlaw
Ah, not just daughterinlaw? Grandsoninlaw too?
Now that you say it, yeah? What do you think?
Yoon Changsu downed his brown ale in one go and said.
Well, thats up to our grandkids. Itll feel strange to us, but globalizations been around forever now. Acting weird about it would be the odd thing.
True. Still, looking forward to it. Who our grandkids will bring home.
Peter, whod been listening, spoke up carefully.
If possible, I hope Taeyang marries a NewcastleuponTyne girl.
Why?
So the line continues as kings of Newcastle.
Not princes?
Peter looked at the grandfathers like it was obvious.
When the prince grows up, he becomes king. Seems like its not far off.
Right, yeah. The prince becomes king.
Life really was unpredictable.
Who couldve guessed a kid born to an ordinary family in South Korea would capture a citys love and become a national hero?
Changsu suddenly wondered.
About our eldest grandson.
Why, Taeyang?
How far will he climb?
How high Taeyang would soar.
Already a national hero after one season, if he kept rising just imagining how great hed become in soccer was thrilling and heartwarming.
Then a sudden thought hit him.
Hey, lets get our heads on straight. Inlaw, isnt the match starting soon?
Oh, right. Peter! No TV?
Already on, elders!
At that, they looked around.
The pub, quiet moments ago, was now packed, and as Taeyang warmed up on the TV screen, the crowd erupted into chants for himPrince Taeyang.
This is the Johan Cruyff Arena, where South Korea faces the Netherlands in a friendly!
Our proud Taegeuk Warriors are entering the field. Theres Player Yoon Taeyang. He looks in great shape today!
Looking forward to another stellar performance from Yoon Taeyang.
Yes, before kickoff, lets check todays lineups!
South Korea
FW Kim Hyunsu Jo Dongho Park Mingyu
MF Yoon Taeyang
Kim Ho Lee Hyunseok
DF Yoon Jinyong Yoo Seongjae Park Donggeun Woo Taehyun
GK Shin Hoseong
Netherlands
FW Bernard Riehhoff Niehmans
MF van Gool Donk Wonderen
DF Muller van Belzen Buyuk Bahia
GK Rosha Neil
Looking at the Dutch lineup, veterans who fought to the 2034 World Cup quarterfinals are positioned across lines, leading the young players. What do you think, commentator?
The vets may have fallen in the round of 16, but we cant underestimate them. Most are players who dominated Europe.
I see.
Absolutely not. Even the young ones are starring in the Dutch league and drawing bids from big clubs. They lack experience, not skill!
And right as you say thatthe whistle blows!
The match kicked off with South Koreas kickoff, and the players began moving with the ball.
Taeyang sent the ball that rolled to his feet further back, moved up, and scanned his surroundings.
Orange Dutch players and white teammates came into view.
Scoring as a forward was fun, but playing midfielder like this was enjoyable too.
Early on as a midfielder, he hadnt known how players moved and just mindlessly tried forward passes.
But over time, he could predict positions, movements, tendencies just by looking, and thread impossible passes.
And when his body was wrecked beyond repair, right at retirement, his soccersharpened mind saw the field like looking down from above, players movements crystal clear despite the broken body.
Now, with that mind in a perfectly maintained body, Taeyang didnt push forward from midfield. He passed back and forth, waiting for the forwards to advance.
At a glance, it looked like the Dutch aggressive press was stopping him from playing forward.
See, even Yoon Taeyang cant play forward from there. Thats how high the level of these Dutch youngsters is.
Fr, why put Yoon Taeyang at mid? Put him up top and hed smash any line
From there hed have to beat like 5 guys
But wo him no playmaking, patterns get simple
Press is fucking intense, Dutch bastards
Thats when people thought the situation was getting tough.
Taeyang started slowly advancing, dragging the midfield line with him.
As the Netherlands threw fullbacks into the mix to outnumber midfield, Taeyang narrowed the gaps with Kim Ho and Lee Hyunseok beyond just lining them up, chaining passes to push even further.
The Dutch press intensified accordingly.
Soon, passing to Taeyang was tough he seemed to hold the ball almost exclusively.
Huh?
Whend it turn like this?
Dutch mids and defs gaps too tight no?
As a soccer expert, somethings off
As viewers sensed something strange.
Taeyang passed to Kim Ho and yelled for it back.
Before Dutch players could block, Kim Ho snapped it to him as requested.
Taeyang received in the space behind a Dutch midfieldercenterback had to charge.
van Belzen boldly rushed to intercept before Taeyang could settle.
With van Belzen right in his face, Taeyang pulled the ball inside with his instep, turning easily past him.
At the same time, he spotted the space van Belzen vacated and slotted the ball through. Jo Dongho, whod sprinted instinctively into the gap, collected it, took a few touches toward goal, and unleashed a shot.
Jo Dongho shooooots! Gooooal! Its in!
8th minute! South Korea strikes first! Jo Dongho!!
The unexpected Korean opener silenced the Dutch crowd.
Only the Koreans in the stands cheered.
Amid them, scorer Jo Dongho ran to Taeyang and hoisted him up.
Taeyangs movement shoneraising the line to compress Dutch midfield and defense gaps without losing possession, then shaking the defender.
Quickthinking Jo Dongho deserves praise too! Holding our own against a European powerhouse and scoring first! Proud of you, Taegeuk Warriors!
Now hold the lead. Better yet, add more for breathing room!