The 27th Taegeuk Warrior… unnumbered jerseys
26 players raised their own money when they mightn’t get the bounty money
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Korean national soccer team accomplished the task of advancing to the round of 16 following 12 years. Behind this glory, there is the ’27th Taegeuk Warrior’ that no one pays attention to but cannot be left out of. It is Oh Hyun-gyu (21, Suwon) who even pointed out “captain” Son Heung-min as “the most important player.”
Oh Hyun-kyu told the story behind the World Cup in an interview with MBC News Desk on the 14th.
Oh Hyun-gyu said, “I was a player without any uniform number, and at that moment, I still felt a bit upset.”
Oh Hyun-kyu said that the national team players collected some of the rewards they hadn’t received yet and distributed it to him with their own money. He said, “All 26 players gathered money and said, ‘Let’s take care of it like this because we can’t get Hyun-kyu compensation’ (he said). So I didn’t even think regarding it, but thank you so much for taking care of me like this.”
In particular, he said, “(Cho) Hyun-woo took care of me so much, so I’m really grateful.”
Heung-Min Son participated in the World Cup as a reserve member
Oh Hyun-kyu was called by coach Paulo Bento as a substitute for ‘captain’ Son Heung-min (Tottenham), who underwent orbital fracture surgery two weeks before the opening of the World Cup.
He scored 13 goals (3 assists) in the K-League 1 (Part 1) this season. In the promotion playoff, which was driven to the edge of the cliff, he scored a dramatic goal and led the Suwon Samsung to remain in the K League 1. Coach Bento gave high marks to his determination and explosive power. If it is difficult for Son Heung-min to play, it was judged that Oh Hyun-kyu might fill the spot.
However, Son Heung-min played all four games full-time, including three World Cup group stage matches and the round of 16 match once morest Brazil.
It was the World Cup stage that every soccer player dreams of, but Oh Hyun-kyu did not even have a chance to sit on the bench or on the pitch. According to FIFA rules, Oh Hyun-gyu might not sit on the bench.
He didn’t even have a uniform number, but Oh Hyun-kyu was not frustrated. He wore a uniform without a uniform and sweated silently as a training partner for the players.
Captain Son Heung-min might not have been unaware of Oh Hyun-gyu’s sacrifice. At a press conference held at Incheon International Airport on the 7th, Son Heung-min said, “I want to say thank you very much to Hyun-gyu.”
He said, “In fact, (Hyun-gyu) came and made sacrifices because of me.” He was not on the final list, but he was on the same team for me.”
Regarding the time he spent with Son Heung-min in Qatar, Oh Hyun-kyu said, “I think I really thought, ‘It’s really different,’” and “I kept it secret in a notepad on my cell phone. It cannot be disclosed,” he said.
In response to the reporter’s question, “If you might get a uniform number and go to the World Cup, how many times would you like to get it?”
Reporter Kim Min-ji