Jun 05 2006 01:25 PM
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| Ahn Jung-Hwan, national hero and the ruin of Italian soccer. He also has great hair. |
History: Quite frankly, prior to 2002, there wasn’t much. South Korea made its first appearance in World Cup play in 1954. Winless in fourteen matches, South Korea had only four ties to show for their troubles. They are, however, responsible for producing the player widely regarded as the best Asian player of the 20th Century. Cha Bum-Kum spent over a decade in the German Bundesliga scoring 98 goals. The mark was a record for a foreign-born player.
World Cup 2002: As co-host with Japan, South Korea made its first mark in World Cup play in 2002 when it reached the semifinals before bowing out to Germany. South Korea’s improbable run included victories over heavily favored Italy and Spain. Ironically, the game-winner against Italy came from Ahn Jung-Hwan, who had spent the prior season playing in Italy. For his efforts, Ahn was dismissed by Italian Perugia owner Luciano Gaucci. Said Gaucci, “I am not going to pay the salary of a guy who has been the ruin of Italian soccer.”
Who’s who: Since his game-winner against Italy, Ahn has become a household name in South Korea, as much for his looks as his play. He is married to a former Miss Korea, and his face can be seen in an array of advertisements. Some critics have questioned Ahn's dedication, accusing the star of being more concerned with modeling than scoring goals. On the field, after his dismissal from the Italian team, he has played in Japan and in Germany.
South Korea’s best player is Park Ji-Sung, who plays with the Manchester United. Lee Young-Pyo, who plays with Tottenham, could also be an impact player. Korea will be missing Lee Dong-Gook, out with a torn cruciate ligament, meaning more pressure falls upon Park Chu-Young, the rising star of Korean soccer. Park has blazing speed, but at 20, may still be too young to handle the pressure the World Cup stage will provide.
Outlook: South Korea will be hard pressed to replicate the success they had in 2002 without the throngs of support they had from their home crowd. Still, without a powerhouse in Group G, the Koreans have a chance to advance from the group stage and into the tourney. How they fare there may depend on the matchup. But they are certainly dangerous enough to make their presence felt in this tournament.
Switzerland
France
Korea Republic
Togo