“Korean soccer is making rapid progress. It is now at the top level in the world as well.”
Officials, including coaches of overseas clubs participating in the K League International Youth Cup Incheon 2024, applauded for Korean soccer. Just as there are already many players who play in the European big leagues, including Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), they also added support that more great players will come out in the future.
Coach Carl Darlington, who leads the Everton (England) youth team, said at the opening media day of the tournament at the Harbor Park Hotel in Jung-gu, Incheon on the 27th, “I’ve encountered a lot of Korean players while watching Bayern Munich (Kim Min-jae) or the English Premier League (EPL),” adding, “Given the cases of many players who have played in the EPL such as Son Heung-min, I think there will be many great players in the future.”
“I researched about the Korean teams before I came to Korea to participate in the competition. I found them to be systematic and technologically excellent,” Darlington said. “I hope our players will experience many things through this competition.”
Officials with ties with Korea in the past also applauded the growth of Korean soccer. “I remember coming to Korea as a player to participate in the 2005 Peace Cup. Real Sociedad is also the team that Lee Chun-soo used to play for. It is characteristic of Korean soccer that there are many players who excel in technology and display skills in the field,” said Alfonso Azurza, coach of the Spanish team.
Coach Alfonso then said, “In fact, it was not well known until then, but now I think that style is recognized all over the world,” adding, “From our team’s point of view, it will be an opportunity to experience and get to know Korea’s soccer style.”
“Korea is technically outstanding. I have confirmed that there are many talented players while watching the U-18 national team play,” said Simon Carltenbach, coach of Augsburg in Germany. “Korean soccer is rapidly developing, and it is already one of the best in the world.”
Marc Salabader, coach of Spain’s Espanyol, also said, “I had a Korean player in Spain. He was Kim Min-soo who played for Girona B team. I heard that Korean soccer is investing a lot and developing a lot. There are a lot of outstanding players including wingers.” 안전놀이터
Asian teams such as China and Japan, which are bound to be close to Korean soccer, were also not different.
“Kashiwa Reysol was a team where many Korean players were active, especially Kashiwa Reysol,” said Tatsuro Shida, who is leading the Kashiwa Reysol team. Hong Myung-bo, Hwang Sun-hong, the late Yoo Sang-cheol, Kim Bo-kyung, Yoon Seok-young, and Kim Seung-gyu played for the team. Kashiwa fans had high expectations for Korean players to do something when they came, and actually performed such performances. He had an image of playing for a long time and being loved again. I always had high expectations for Korean players when they came.”
Shida said, “Korean players are tough and smart. Many players showed off teamwork by physically fighting tough. There is an image that it has always been difficult to play against Korea in A-matches, national team matches at all levels, and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League. I want to interact with excellent teams and with Korean officials.”
“Korean soccer is closely related to Chinese soccer. In particular, Korean players and coaches made remarkable performances in the Chinese league. Ahn Jung-hwan and Kim Young-kwon were mentioned as players, and recent examples such as Choi Yong-soo and Choi Kang-hee show that Korean soccer is physically excellent and maintains concentration until the very last minute,” said Fang Chi, an official at China Youth Academy. “We are interested in how Korean soccer is following the development of global soccer. This event will serve as an opportunity to understand this as well.”
Meanwhile, the K-League International Youth Cup Incheon 2024, in which U-17 players participate, will be held by six domestic teams (FC Seoul, Suwon Samsung, Jeonbuk Hyundai, Busan I’Park, Incheon United, and Bupyeong High School) and six overseas teams (Real Sociedad, Espanyol, Everton, Augsburg, Shandong Taishan, Kashiwa Reysol) from the 28th to the 4th of next month. It will be divided into two groups and the first place in each group will play the final. The professional soccer federation will host the K-League Youth with the aim of strengthening the international competitiveness of the K-League youth, organized by the federation and the Incheon City Football Association, and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the National Sports Promotion Agency and Incheon City. Following last year’s first competition, this year is the second competition.
