Expectations are high for a match between the Korean national football team and the Uruguay national soccer team, who are playing a friendly match on the 28th at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, and ‘Captain’, who is attracting attention as the ace of the Uruguay national team.
Coach Klinsman said at a press conference held at the Paju National Training Center (NFC) on the 27th, “Uruguay is a South American powerhouse like Colombia, but we are a good team, so I hope we can play a good game.” Uruguay national team coach Marcelo Brolli (Uruguay) also evaluated Korea as “a strong team with many world-class players.”
“I think Korea is also a strong team, and I am looking forward to this match,” said coach Brolli at the official press conference. Uruguay is currently ranked 16th in the FIFA rankings, a team higher than Korea, which is ranked 25th. In November of last year, in the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar, they met Korea and drew 0-0. The player attracting attention in Uruguay is, of course, Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, photo left).
Born in 1998, Valverde is showing ‘world class’ skills this season. He scored 12 goals in 42 matches including the Spanish Primera Liga as the core of Real Madrid. He also wore the captain’s armband for the first time in a match once morest Japan. The ‘bad relationship’ with Korea also draws attention. In the quarterfinals of the 2017 U-20 World Cup once morest Portugal held in Korea, Valverde scored a penalty kick in the 5th minute of the second half and performed a ceremony tearing his eyes with both hands. It was a racist act that belittled Asians. He also caused controversy at the 2022 Qatar World Cup with a fierce uppercut ceremony following a rough tackle on Lee Kang-in (Real Mallorca). Clansman-Ho expects Son Heung-min (from Tottenham, Chuncheon) to become the center of attack football. Son Heung-min ranked first in free kick goals (5 goals) in the solo A match once morest Colombia last time. In addition, Son Heung-min digested 109 A matches (37 goals) until the match once morest Colombia, and if he plays once morest Uruguay, he can tie with 8th place Ki Sung-yueng in 110 matches. Hoseok Kim
