The South Korean team is going through a difficult and anxious time following their somewhat surprising 0-1 defeat to South Africa. Despite a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in their opening match, South Korea finished the group stage with only 3 points and a goal difference of -1. Now, they are anxiously hoping for luck as they watch the remaining matches in other groups. In fact, luck was on their side when Mexico, despite already securing first place, played with great intensity to decisively eliminate the Czech Republic. Will a minimal number of goals conceded be enough for a wildcard spot?
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| Photo: THX/VNA |
At this critical moment, former football legend Park Ji-sung made a frank statement about the South Korean national team. He assessed that Japan had far surpassed South Korea due to their well-balanced and cohesive squad. According to Park, the underlying reason was that Japan had built their team through fair competition. He said this before South Korea's crucial match against South Africa, where his country's team only needed a draw to qualify. It's clear that the former Manchester United and South Korean national team defender wasn't directly criticizing the South Korean team this year, but subtly hinted at it through a comparison with Japan.
Is there fair competition in the South Korean national team? Center-back Kim Min-jae, who excelled four years ago, has lost his key position at Bayern Munich for the past two years. The renowned striker Son Heung-min has seen a decline in fitness and form, and has left Tottenham Hotspur to pursue the final stages of his career in the United States...
Using big names is common in world football, but how to use them is a matter of careful consideration for many reasons, both professional and non-professional. Messi, Ronaldo, and Modric are exceptional players with exceptional talent and physical stamina, and they are highly valued and supported by their teammates, as is clear. Meanwhile, Coach Ancelotti only brought Neymar on when the outcome was already decided...
It's too early to fully assess the quality of the South Korean team this year, but initial results show they are clearly not as strong as before. It's also estimated that if the team is lucky enough to advance from the group stage in third place, their opponents in the knockout rounds will all be very strong teams.
If building a strong team is a lesson from Japan and South Korea, then Türkiye's case is a lesson in tactics. With a squad full of talent, playing an attacking, dominant style seems logical. However, former Italy striker Montella, now Turkey's coach this season, has set aside the counter-attacking style that he excelled at in his younger years. This means that without clearly defining their strengths and weaknesses, Montella and his team were eliminated early in the group stage, despite surprisingly winning their final match against the host nation, the USA, 3-2.
Remember that Türkiye and South Korea reached the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, with Türkiye defeating South Korea to finish third. Since then, both footballing nations have made remarkable progress, both in terms of foundation and peak performance. But the World Cup is not only a fierce competition but also one that requires a strong scientific approach and a high level of skill.
Mid-tier teams have their own specific demands in the process of improving, while lower-ranked teams consider a win, a draw, or even scoring the first goal a great achievement. We've seen Cape Verde draw with Spain, the Democratic Republic of Congo hold Portugal to a draw, Morocco avoid defeat against Brazil, Ghana draw with England... Many "underdog" teams have become formidable opponents, such as Ivory Coast, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, and South Africa, with deserved wins or draws.
For teams from Asia, the gap with representatives from other continents is clearly still significant. The common reasons are lower skill levels, specifically inferior physical fitness and mental fortitude leading to fatigue and loss of focus towards the end of the match, a lack of effective tactical options, and weaknesses in finishing, long-range interception, and covering. Another obvious factor is experience.
Every footballing nation will carefully analyze the strengths and weaknesses of its national team to gain a clearer understanding of its development path. Participating in the World Cup is not only about having fun and showcasing one's abilities, but more importantly, it provides valuable lessons for the future.
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/the-thao/worldcup-2026/binh-luan-bai-hoc-mo-tuong-lai-1046366
