‘U-20 fourth-place finish’ gold medal return… Coach Kim Eun-joong says “it’s a start, not an end”

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After reaching the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup, the Korean national soccer team returned home today (April 14). Unlike when they left a month ago, the airport was filled with applause and cheers from fans. Coach Kim Eun-joong cheered his players, saying the tournament was “the beginning, not the end.

Ha Sung-ryong is a reporter.

<Reporter

Flash baptisms and fan cheers erupted as our team, including coach Kim Eun-joong and ‘captain’ Lee Seung-won, entered the arrivals hall.

On the team’s way home, which hadn’t gotten much attention when they left, more than 100 fans came out to welcome the returning heroes.

With all 21 Taegeuk Warriors gathered, including Park Seung-ho who had to drop out due to injury, the players reminisced about the 23 days of intense competition.

Lee Young-joon, who summoned Park Ji-sung in 2002 with his round of 16 goal, recalled the scene,

[Lee Young-joon/U-20 World Cup striker: If you really watch the (goal) video again, it’s similar, but I’m right-footed and Park Ji-sung folded it with his left foot, so it’s a little bit different….]

Goalkeeper Kim Jun-hong laughed, saying that saving his teammate’s own goal was his best save.

[Kim Jun-hong/U-20 World Cup Team Goalkeeper : I think the most memorable ‘save’ was (Park) Hyun-bin’s shot against France, which was the most threatening one].

Coach Kim Eun-joong thanked the players once again and wished them a bright future.

[Kim Eun-joong/U-20 World Cup coach: I think this tournament is the ‘beginning, not the end’, and I hope they will develop and continue the future of Korean football by going up to the Olympic and national teams in the future].

After breaking Lee Kang-in’s record for attacking points four years ago and receiving a bronze ball as the tournament’s MVP, Lee vowed to work harder and become a player like Lee. 안전놀이터

[Lee Seung-won/U-20 World Cup Team Captain: Kang-in is also a player who learns a lot from his older brother, so I want to tell him that I think he has received good ki from him and that I will work harder to follow him in the future].

After happily ending their journey by presenting Kim Eun-joong with a rinse cloth, the players returned to their respective teams to meet their fans again.

<Anchor After reaching the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup, the Korean national soccer team returned home today (April 14). Unlike when they left a month ago, the airport was filled with applause and cheers from fans. Coach Kim Eun-joong cheered his players, saying the tournament was “the beginning, not the end. Ha Sung-ryong is…