[Japan Exhibition] Woo Ho-young thoroughly dismantles the official Man of the Match.
[Woo Ho-young scores five goals in two official A-matches.]
[Radical Japanese fans riot immediately after the match...]
[Honda Keisuke: "Conceding five goals to Korea reflects the current state of Japanese football. We need to wake up. It's disgraceful to go to the World Cup like this."]
[Yuki Abe: "That wasn't football. He's the strangest player I've ever seen. He should be on a track, not a pitch."]
[Japan Football Association: "The match was inconclusive."]
[Following a doping test requested by Woo Ho-young, the results have shown abnormalities, says the JFA.]
[A German football expert: "Japan will never win as long as Woo Ho-young is on Korea's national team."]
[Woo Ho-young: "I ran like I wanted. It was a fun game. If given the chance, I'd love to play the full ninety next time."]
The day after the fiery friendly match against Japan, the players were given a day of rest.
However, due to safety concerns and threats from radical Japanese fans, they stayed close to the hotel under the watch of bodyguards. Ho-young received a flood of TV show offers—some requesting a two-hour appearance—but he declined them all, prioritizing safety.
With the World Cup inauguration ceremony at Seoul's Sangam World Cup Stadium approaching, his attention shifted to the next big stage.
The opening ceremony featured a dazzling lineup of idols and senior musicians. Once the performances concluded, players and coaches walked onto the stage, each team introduced to a thunderous welcome.
As per tradition, the ceremony began with an address from the head coach.
"Director Hur Seong-soo will now say a few words."
"Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming out today to cheer us on," he said warmly.
Waaaah!
The stadium erupted.
Tens of thousands of soccer fans roared, cheering his name. After the triumph over Japan, Coach Hur had become a national hero.
"We're aiming for victory in South Africa. I hope you'll continue to support us, whether from the streets, in front of your TVs, or by coming to South Africa yourselves," he said, voice rising with passion. "We'll bring back something to be proud of."
As he continued, a murmur spread through the crowd.
WOOOOOOOH!
"...?!"
Woo Ho-young's face had appeared briefly on the big screen.
He hadn't even spoken. He'd simply stood there—but the crowd roared as if he'd just scored a goal.
Such was the star power of Woo Ho-young.
Korea's most respected teenage idol.
The #1 star among those in their 20s.
He ranked at the top in nearly every demographic.
Coach Hur understood this and simply let it be.
"Thank you once again. Please continue to support these passionate players. We'll repay you with results."
After Hur stepped down, it was Captain Park's turn.
"Our goal is to reach the Round of 16. With determination and teamwork, I believe we can achieve that," he said. "As captain, I'll do my best to lead this team in the right direction."
Next came the team's core veterans: Lee Yun-jae, Jung Nam-il, and Lee Dong-guk—each offering short, motivating words. The crowd responded to each in kind.
Then came Woo Ho-young.
Once again, his face flashed on the screen, and the stadium exploded.
"Woo Young! Woo Young! Woo!"
The announcer struggled to regain control of the event.
"Haha. What popularity! I can't even hear myself. Let's welcome the youngest member of the national team—and our spearhead in attack—Woo Ho-young!"
"Yes, I'm Woo Ho-young," he said calmly.
Kyaaaa!
The stadium thundered. Teenage girls, many unfamiliar with even the rules of the game, screamed his name like pop group fanatics.
They might not know what a half-line is, but they could list every stat and moment of Woo Ho-young's matches.
"You have some very passionate fans here. Any words for them?"
"First of all, thank you for coming today," he said, keeping his response brief. This wasn't a fan concert, after all. He tossed out his ticket with practiced grace and continued.
"The tournament is about three weeks away. I'm here thanks to your belief and support. I joined the team a bit late, but I'm grateful to the seniors and the coach for welcoming me."
The skepticism surrounding his late addition had mostly died down thanks to his Japan performance, but it was better to address it openly.
He added, "Our goal is to make it past the Round of 16. But that's not where it ends. We'll do our best to achieve something meaningful. Until we collapse—thank you."
The ceremony concluded there.
The following day was packed with CF shoots, but Ho-young postponed everything to focus on preparing for the World Cup.
The next morning, before joining the national team's training camp, he said his final goodbyes at home.
"Son, don't push yourself too hard just to score. The World Cup is the tournament where players get injured the most. Everyone's watching, and the pressure is high. Make sure you warm up and cool down properly."
"Haha. You talk like you've played in a World Cup."
"My heart's already been there ten times."
"Don't worry. No one knows my body better than I do."
"I trust you'll do well, just like always."
Their conversation didn't need to be long.
"I'll be fine." That was all that needed to be said.
"So, how's the football class going, Dad? Is it really the Woo Ho-young Soccer Academy?"
"Since I used your name, we're getting offers for partnerships. We even got an offer to franchise."
"Haha. Take care of the kids. Who knows? When I retire, I might draft my own team from your academy."
"Oh? So you want to coach, huh? Planning to take it all for yourself?"
"Of course. Who's son do you think I am?"
"Hah! What can my son not do?"
They shared a final hug.
"We've already decided to come watch in South Africa. Your mother will join from Paris."
"Got it. I won't let you down."
Then his little brother, now in third grade, held up his hand.
"Hyung, don't get hurt!"
"I'll score, so get ready to brag at school. I'll show you a cool ceremony just for you."
"Yay! I'll cheer super loud!"
Three weeks remained until the World Cup.
With that, Ho-young left Korea and headed to Austria.
There, the national team would undergo its final two-week training camp.
Austria's atmosphere was relaxed yet focused. While some players with overseas experience brought a lighter mood, senior players like Jung Nam-il and Lee Yun-jae helped maintain balance.
Their first friendly match was against Belarus, who had finished fourth in the UEFA World Cup qualifiers.
Ranked 82nd in the world, Belarus was considered one of Europe's weakest teams—far behind Korea, ranked 45th.
The match was held in Kufstein, Austria, with only 400 spectators in attendance.
Korea's starting formation: 4-2-3-1.
This lineup emphasized wing attacks and allowed Woo Ho-young freedom in the attacking midfield as a free-roaming playmaker.
The result: 2–1 victory. Goals from Park Ji-sung and Woo Ho-young.
Though they conceded a late goal, they managed to secure the win.
But fans weren't satisfied.
After the stellar performance against Japan, expectations were sky-high. A narrow win over Belarus prompted criticism.
Much of it was aimed at striker Park Joo-young.
> └ A week in Europe and you're still jet-lagged? What kind of factory training is this?
└ I'd take a 100 other players over him. He's lost in front of goal.
└ The attackers aren't delivering. Woo-young breaks the shape when he enters. Without him, 4-2-3-1 isn't working.
Despite a solid season in France and strong showings in recent A-matches, Park Joo-young struggled in this game.
Mentally tough, he didn't waver—but even he knew this wasn't good enough.
The media piled on.
> [Belarus gets 16 shots – what's going on? Experts warn Korea won't reach the Round of 16 if they can't fix their finishing.
> └ Why is our finishing always so weak?
└ It's a Korean curse. You just figuring that out?
└ I've been watching since the '80s. Trust me, it's better now. We once missed 10 shots right in front of goal.
Indeed, finishing had long been Korea's Achilles' heel.
Coach Hur had wrestled with this issue before, but this time, he had a new card to play—Woo Ho-young.
Yet, even Ho-young had limits.
Unless he had four lungs, he couldn't carry the team alone for 90 minutes every match.
So the team's training focused on coordination and tactical cohesion.
With that, they prepared for their final evaluation match.
June 3rd.
Their last opponent before the World Cup was Spain—the so-called "Invincible Armada."
Ranked #1 in the world, Spain was led by Vicente del Bosque and boasted 15 consecutive A-match victories and 35 matches unbeaten.
Though they rested some players due to injury or form, Spain was still formidable.
> [Even as a 1.5-tier squad, Spain's depth is insane. They lined up in a 4-3-3 with Juan Mata, Fernando Llorente, and Jesús Navas up front. A pure cross-and-finish setup.]
> [Their midfield of Busquets, Xabi Alonso, and Javi Martínez provides superb balance, while their backline features Capdevila, Albiol, Marchena, Ramos—and Reina in goal.]
Spain's tactics targeted Korea's known weaknesses.
In response, Korea once again opted for a 4-2-3-1, with Woo Ho-young at the heart of the attack.
> [Woo Ho-young will play as a roaming playmaker again. Let's hope he links up well and leads a strong performance.]
As 25,000 fans filled the stadium and the players entered, Ho-young's gaze drifted toward Spain's bench.
There, he spotted him.
'Xavi…'
Xavi Hernández.
He couldn't take his eyes off him.
Because of what he now knew—
The conditions to play for Barcelona had completely changed.
Before heading to the World Cup, this might be his only chance to seize the weapon he needed.