Hyun Jung, 46 years old, was born in South Korea but has been living in Portugal for 12 years. He became a player’s agent, lives football intensely even for his profession, and this Friday admits that he will be “divided” when Portugal and his native country take the field in the final match of Group H.
With the national team already qualified and Paulo Bento’s team with very complicated bills to progress to eighth, he still believes in a possible scenario, but very complicated: “I would like Portugal to go first to avoid Brazil and Korea to guarantee the second place that would give access to the round of 16.” This requires a combination of results that goes through Korea’s victory, preferably with more than one goal, and that in Uruguay-Ghana, the Africans do not win
Martim Jung, the 17-year-old son, was born in the United States. He plays for the juniors at Real Sport Club, in Massamá, as a central defender. But despite the sentimental connection with South Korea, he admits he will support Portugal. “I have lived here for many years and it would be difficult not to support the country I live in. I think the Portuguese team will win relatively easily. They have a much stronger team, but of course I would like South Korea.” to fit also, but I see that very difficult,” he said.
Hyun Jung still remembers the day of the World Cup draw, when the balls put Portugal and South Korea in the same group. “The memory of the match at the 2002 World Cup, which Korea won, immediately came to mind. It was a special feeling to see two teams I like together at a World Cup 20 years later. I saw this game in the stadium”remembered.
The player’s agent has no hesitation in considering Portugal the favorite in Friday’s game. “The Portuguese national team is very strong. It has players who play for top clubs in the major European leagues. And there is Cristiano Ronaldo, the best brand in Portugal, a player of excellence, an icon. And also Bernardo Silva, a top footballer. who sacrifices a lot for the team. But I think Korea will make it difficult for the Portuguese team,” he reflected.
Hyun Jung recalled that CR7 was idolized by South Koreans. But he recalls an episode, in July 2019, that deeply upset the striker’s millions of fans in that Asian country.🇧🇷 “Juventus toured South Korea and there was huge mobilization and anticipation to see Ronaldo. But he didn’t leave the bench and disappointed the South Koreans who wanted to see him play.” He was the best player in the world for the Koreans. But that episode left traces.”
Therefore, he assumes, he would like this match between Portugal and South Korea to also serve to solve this problem: “I would like this match to be one of reconciliation between the fans of the selection and Ronaldo .”
Compliments to Paulo Bento
Martim, who sees himself as a Sporting fan and has the Dutchman Van Dijk as his idol, chooses veteran Pepe as the best central defender in Portugal: “Despite his age [39 anos], has a lot of quality and spice. He is an aggressive central defender, with a lot of experience,” he shot, also praising the Korean Kim Min-jae, the Napoli defender, “a good player who I believe can play in the Premier League in a short time” .
The young man has been playing football since he was 12 and currently represents the youth team of Real de Massamá. And he admits that in order to try to evolve, he listens carefully to his mother’s tips. “She is a manager of football players, she shows me videos of football players playing in my position [defesa-central] and gives me advice on what I can improve in my game. She sees a lot of games and applies those observations to me. It’s a big help.”
If we talk about the national team of South Korea, the answer to the question of who is the star of the team is almost unanimous: son, Tottenham striker. But Hyun Jung chooses two more players, Hwang Hee-chan, right winger of Wolverhampton, who has yet to play in this World Cup due to an injury, and Hwang In-beom, Olympiacos midfielder, “maybe the player who is in better shape at the moment is”.
And Paulo Bento? “He did an excellent job. There was some criticism before the World Cup, but I really enjoyed watching Korea play against Uruguay. a draw that surprised me. You did a good job. I see many differences. Korean soccer players were only known for running a lot. But he has added something to the team in terms of tactics, they are a much more organized set.”
It should be noted that this year the South Korean community in Portugal (between 150 and 200) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first emigrant in our country.
Source: DN
