They came with expectations and left with bittersweet feelings.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) 2023 Asian Cup Qatar has come to an end. The favorites, South Korea, ended their journey in the quarterfinals. It was a better performance compared to their quarterfinal exit at the 2019 Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, but on paper, no one would say “we’ve improved from the last tournament”.
When I arrived in Doha, Qatar, I was excited to see Korea win the tournament after 64 years. Individually, they were the best team in the world, and they had set the tone by going undefeated despite some doubts under coach Jürgen Klinsmann. I came to Doha after the second round match against Jordan and felt miserable every time we played Korea. I even felt embarrassed when we drew 3-3 with Malaysia.
The round of 16 match against Saudi Arabia was the most memorable. Before the game, the Saudi media and fans were mocking and disrespecting anyone who looked Korean. At Education City Stadium, 99.9 percent of the 45,000 seats were filled with Saudi fans. While the support for Middle Eastern teams is intense, the Saudi support was on a different level. They move in unison and chant Islamic prayers, but they’re not players.
We had been beaten and the atmosphere was overwhelming, and we just wanted to catch Saudi Arabia. With defeat looking very likely, Cho Kyu-sung scored a header and we won in penalty kicks. We breathed a sigh of relief, and then it was on to Australia. Against Australia, they won 2-1 in a dramatic victory. Even though the match was a close one, the atmosphere of victory gave us hope that we would win our first title in 64 years.
As everyone knew, it wasn’t to be. In the semifinals, they played their worst game of the tournament against Jordan, losing 0-2. When Musa Al Tamari scored a late goal, all the media thought it was over. Again, the players looked tired and the Jordanian defense was strong. The semifinals were hesitant and most of the Korean media left Qatar. Only a few journalists, including myself, stayed behind to cover the ‘Festival of Nations’.
The final was between Qatar and Iran, with Qatar defeating Jordan 3-1 behind a hat trick from Akram Afif. Both 바카라 games were entertaining and talked about a lot, but after the Korea game, the Asian Cup had lost interest in Korea. Even when Qatar won the championship, they didn’t seem to care much. I finished all the articles, watched the Qatar victory ceremony, and drove through the craziness of Doha.
I felt bitter and empty. I was embarrassed and criticized Korea, but in the back of my mind, I thought, “Let’s do well and win.” I wanted to win somehow, to go up there and win the trophy after 64 years, to be crowned Lionel Messi’s teammate at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, to hear the national anthem, to wave the flag, and to lift the trophy.
But it was greedy. Greedy, even more so given South Korea’s performance. As we saw at the Asian Cup, Asian soccer is getting better and better, and Southeast Asia, once a peripheral region, is becoming competitive. The Asian stage has become more difficult to navigate, which means the odds of winning the Asian Cup have become more difficult.
No matter when the Asian Cup is held, South Korea will be the favorites. Will they be more than just the favorites? We need to win. Unlike all the Koreans who swallowed their disappointment when they left Qatar, I hope all the Koreans who go to Saudi Arabia in 2027 will be able to say “I was there” and enjoy their first victory in 67 years. To do that, they’ll need to take a good look at the tournament and cut out the flaws. It’s time for a thorough review and a wise decision by the Korean Football Association.