A Promise of Victory

Inside the South Korean national team's lodging in Turkey, a rough thudding sound burst from the room Jung Hyuk and Oh Jung-hoon shared.

Thud! Thwack!

"Still at it, huh."

Jung Hyuk shook his head at the sight of Oh Jung-hoon. The big striker, who had been kicking at his blanket, shot him a resentful look.

"Why didn't you stop me?"

"I did. You just don't remember."

"Ha… for real… Hyuk, I'm so embarrassed right now I could die. What am I supposed to do?"

"Embarrassed about what? You can handle that much, can't you? You're the guy who's going to become a legend."

"Hey! Not you too! I just got too fired up yesterday and made a mistake…!"

"Heh heh!"

"Hyuk… stop laughing and seriously, what do I do?"

Oh Jung-hoon asked with a face full of worry.

"Why are you taking it so hard? Stuff like that happens."

When Jung Hyuk asked that, Oh Jung-hoon held out his phone.

"Just look at this."

The screen was flooded with articles.

Pfft!

Jung Hyuk burst out laughing.

"What? The photos came out great, and nothing in the articles is wrong. Those are all things you said."

"It's mortifying!"

"Yeah, I can see how it'd be."

"No, seriously — how am I supposed to walk out for the next match? I'm so embarrassed I can't even lift my head!"

"Since it's already like this, why not just lean into the concept? Go full crazy-guy persona."

"Hey!"

Right after the first Group B match of the U-20 World Cup finals — South Korea versus Cuba — Korean portal sites lit up with World Cup coverage.

Plenty of pieces covered Oh Jung-hoon's celebration, but most of the coverage centered on Jung Hyuk. It couldn't have been otherwise. He had been the standout performer against Cuba — the youngest player on the pitch, and still the one who scored three goals and added two assists.

On the other hand, plenty of soccer fans fretted about so much attention landing on Jung Hyuk so early.

"Aren't we putting way too much spotlight on an eighteen-year-old?"

"What if the pressure cracks his mental…?"

"Playing well against Cuba is great, but won't people be massively disappointed if he struggles next match?"

"People need to quiet down a little."

Their concern was fair enough. The opponent waiting three days later was far too strong — Portugal, who had just beaten powerhouse Nigeria in a thriller, and who were next on the schedule.

The day before South Korea's Group B clash with Portugal, Korean soccer fans made no effort to hide their nerves across every community site.

And the anxiety wasn't limited to the fans. The players who actually had to take the pitch felt the same way.

"Can we even win? Portugal's quality was no joke…"

"You saw them against Nigeria, right? They were ridiculous… damn… how are we supposed to deal with that?"

"But we did well against Cuba. Not that Cuba is remotely the same level as Portugal, but…"

"Ha! I'm already worried their wingers are going to tear me apart."

The Korean national team's atmosphere had improved a great deal recently, but the sheer strength of the opponent left their confidence shaken. That was when Jung Hyuk stepped forward — after clearing it with Manager Yoo Jung-seok in advance.

"Seniors."

Jung Hyuk's standing within the national team was already considerable. Young as he was, his ability and conduct had earned the squad's respect. The players mid-conversation turned to look at him. The territorial hostility and wariness were gone from their faces — with a few exceptions. Bae Jong-soo and his clique, still on awkward terms with Jung Hyuk, quietly averted their eyes. They didn't leave, though. They didn't like him, but they acknowledged his skill, and that was enough to keep them in place.

Jung Hyuk waited a moment for their full attention, then began.

"I understand why the seniors feel the pressure of the Portugal match. I watched Portugal against Nigeria myself, and their quality is clearly excellent. No wonder people keep listing them as title favorites."

The national team players nodded. Seeing that, Jung Hyuk continued with a faint smile.

"And I also rewatched the Korea–Cuba match. Did any of you seniors watch it? Korea versus Cuba."

No one answered. No one had. They'd seen the short clips the coaches analyzed, but not a single player had sat through the full match from start to finish. Jung Hyuk didn't particularly mind their reaction. He'd expected as much.

"What I felt rewatching that match was that we're actually pretty good. On paper, the gap between Cuba and Korea wasn't huge — and we still won 6–0. That's a result you can call a complete domination without sounding strange."

That was when Ryu Seung-wook, who had been listening quietly, cut in with a laugh.

"Come on, Hyuk. You basically did everything against Cuba."

Jung Hyuk's expression changed. The smile lingering on his face vanished.

"That's exactly it. Yes. Dropping all the false humility — my performance against Cuba was huge. I don't think any of the seniors would deny that. So let me ask you this. Do you seniors think I won't be able to perform against Portugal?"

The atmosphere shifted. The players had no answer. There was no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠data for it. Training alongside Jung Hyuk had made it clear he was a player of a different class, and his Cuba performance had been extraordinary. But Portugal carried the image of a powerhouse, and they had shown real quality on the pitch. The squad simply couldn't be sure Jung Hyuk would deliver the same against them.

Jung Hyuk looked around at the players. These were the teammates he needed to go further with in this tournament. He meant to make them a promise — and plant confidence in them at the same time. As for the cringe that came with it… he would do his absolute best to endure it.

"I'll make a promise to the seniors right here, today. I will make sure we take the win against Portugal. And by a very large margin. So…"

Hoo.

Jung Hyuk drew a deep breath, then spoke in a firm voice.

The match between South Korea and Portugal kicked off.

Korea's starting lineup was largely the same as the first match — though not entirely unchanged. Oh Jung-hoon started up front in place of Cho Seong-jae. The formation remained 4-4-2, just as against Cuba, and the tactical plan again leaned on the wingers to set up headed goals. There was one meaningful adjustment, though.

Jung Hyuk's role had changed. Manager Yoo Jung-seok fielded him not as a central midfielder, but as an attacking midfielder — intending to meet Portugal's heavy firepower with firepower of their own. It was a tactic that could easily have looked reckless.

And yet, once the match began, Yoo Jung-seok's approach looked anything but reckless. Korea's attack cut straight through Portugal. Jung Hyuk tore their back line apart.

"Don't lose him! Mark him properly!"

"What are you doing?! Wake up!"

Portugal's defenders shouted at one another, rattled by how freely one Korean kept carving through them. And that Korean — Jung Hyuk — tore through the Portuguese defense with a look of pure ease on his face. Tap. Tap. He beat one man with the ball at his feet, then laid it back. The defensive wall was too thick; there was no need to force it. The player who received the ball was Oh Jung-hoon, and he immediately returned it to Jung Hyuk, who had dropped off again.

Tap!

The lightning-quick one-two left the Portuguese defenders a half-step slow. For a brief moment, space opened in front of Jung Hyuk. He drove into it with the ball.

Whoosh! Thud!

He sold a feint as if he were bursting past on his left, then dragged the ball right. A narrow gap opened between the Portuguese defenders.

Angle's there!

Jung Hyuk struck through the gap. The shot came at blistering speed, and from near the edge of the penalty area — close enough to the goal that it mattered. Whiiish— The ball left his foot and flew toward the top-right corner. He had put everything into it. Portugal's keeper, eyes wide, planted and prepared to launch himself at the shot.

He never got off the ground. He didn't need to. The ball Jung Hyuk had struck was already bulging the net — buried inside the goal before the keeper could even leave his feet.

Swish!

Jung Hyuk raised a single finger high toward the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sky — one goal. Instantly, a roar erupted across the stadium.

Wooooaaaaah!

The crowd went wild for the brilliant strike. And Jung Hyuk muttered under his breath.

"Ha… this is so cringey I could die."

A celebration after scoring. In his experience, that kind of gesture had a massive effect on team morale. He knew that — which was why he'd forced himself to do it.

"This really isn't my style."

But the effect was unmistakable. The Korean players, bathed in the crowd's roaring heat, had a different light in their eyes. The thought that they might actually beat Portugal was beginning to take root.

South Korea beat Portugal as well. Jung Hyuk hammered home three goals and dragged the team to victory. There had been danger, too — in the second half, a lapse ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in concentration from the Korean defense conceded two goals in succession, and the match turned fierce. But the goal that settled it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠once more started at Jung Hyuk's feet: an early cross aimed at Oh Jung-hoon's head after he shrugged off the press, finished with a header. That single strike buried Portugal 4–2.

With that result, South Korea's place in the round of sixteen was all but secured. Ordinarily, a manager in that position would rest the starters and rotate in reserves to conserve energy. Yoo Jung-seok did no such thing. He was not satisfied yet.

Against Nigeria next, he again pressed hard with an aggressive system. The result: a 5–2 win. Jung Hyuk scored all five goals against Nigeria and put on a display of absolute dominance.

On the global stage of the U-20 World Cup, South Korea was creating a sensation. Because of the regressed Jung Hyuk, the future was changing.

And when Group B's matches were all finished and Korea's advancement to the round of sixteen was confirmed, Jung Hyuk grew once more.