Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

113 – Disappointing Defeat (Revised)

113

As expected, the match against Brazil in the quarterfinals drew a lot of attention.

Although Brazil has been dubbed “8th place shame” recently, it’s still Brazil, a team with five World Cup titles and a proud history. Brazil is still a powerhouse that exports numerous players worldwide and consistently produces world-class talent.

Especially noteworthy was Joo Ji-tae’s astonishing performance in the match against Brazil.

Joo Ji-tae’s exceptional skills are not new. He debuted as a pro just two years ago, but he has already showcased numerous super plays, earning him a reputation as a next-generation superstar in the football world.

However, this time was different.

Until now, Joo Ji-tae’s impressive parts were his unconventional plays as a defender, such as his exceptional dribbling skills and ability to break through pressure, which are comparable to those of legendary players.

It’s not that he lacked basic defensive skills as a center-back.

Joo Ji-tae has already demonstrated sufficient performance as a center-back, and his rapid and accurate judgment, as well as his leadership skills as a defensive leader, have earned him many praises.

But, as with any sport, football tends to focus more on offense than defense, and flashy plays tend to grab more attention.

In that sense, until now, Joo Ji-tae was famous for his unconventional skills as a center-back. But this time, it was different.

[Joo Ji-tae showed an astonishing, truly fantastic performance. To be honest, he’s always been like that. But this time, it was different. He surprised us with a different ability. Maybe we… underestimated Joo Ji-tae as a center-back.]

The English commentator’s reaction after the match perfectly captured this shock.

Although Korea’s loss to Brazil was a disappointing result, today’s match was different.

Until now, we focused on Joo Ji-tae’s unconventional skills as a center-back. Today’s match, however, highlighted Joo Ji-tae’s skills as a true center-back.

It was such an astonishing performance that even Joo Ji-tae himself was surprised.

“What’s going on? Did I really defend that well?”

During the match, he was so focused on defense that he didn’t even realize it.

After the match, Joo Ji-tae watched the video analysis and was amazed by his own defensive skills.

“I’m not inferior to any world-class center-back, am I? No, I’m at the level of a world-class center-back’s lifetime performance.”

He never lacked defensive skills from the start.

With nearly 20 years of professional experience, he has played in various positions, from an attacking midfielder in his early days to a central midfielder and eventually a winger.

Although he received criticism for his defense early on, he never neglected it. As his career progressed, he earned recognition for his defensive skills.

So, when he switched to the center-back position, he had confidence in himself.

It’s not like he had many years of professional experience.

Still, he worked hard to adapt to the new position… and who would have thought he’d develop this much?

This was a shocking change… no, evolution for Joo Ji-tae himself.

However, what drew more attention than that astonishing evolution was something else – the Panenka penalty kick shown during the shootout.

No, to be precise, it was the daring choice made by Joo Jitae as the 5th kicker in the World Cup round of 8 shootout.

[What the… is this guy crazy? He’s doing a Panenka here!]

[This player is insane! This Asian kid is really crazy! This crazy boy!!]

[Holy… did you guys see that? This isn’t a game, it’s reality!! It’s the World Cup round of 8, and he’s doing a Panenka as the 5th kicker!! How can his heart be so calm in this situation?!]

At first, Joo Jitae just smiled faintly at people’s reactions, but soon realized he couldn’t just stand by.

[He’s lucky he succeeded, or else what would’ve happened?! It was a really dangerous choice, but he got lucky! Why did he do that?!]

[It’s not brave, it’s just crazy! He’s not brave, he’s insane! Doing a Panenka in that situation!!]

If his image as a ‘daring player’ turned into a ‘crazy reckless player’, it would be problematic.

A brave player is okay, but a crazy reckless player is…

Originally, Joo Jitae, who pursued a deep, scholarly intelligence, was about to evolve.

“It wasn’t an impulsive choice.”

“Oh, why not?”

“The previous kicker, Jo Jae-sin, scored with a strong shot, didn’t he? He used all his strength.”

“Yes, yes, that’s right. I thought the net would rip.”

“If the goalkeeper had just been scored on with a strong shot, the afterimage would remain. That’s how penalty kicks work. In theory, it’s a winnable game for the kicker. But reality is different. There’s pressure and burden, but the most important thing is the psychological battle with the goalkeeper. It’s a game of nerves.”

With Coach Marizio’s permission, Joo Jitae explained the reason for choosing the Panenka penalty kick in an official interview.

“In that sense, if the goalkeeper had just been scored on with a strong shot, wouldn’t they expect a strong shot again and start from far away?”

“Oh… so the Panenka was a result of psychological warfare?”

“That’s right! It’s not just about kicking well, but ultimately, the core of penalty kicks is psychological warfare with the goalkeeper!”

However, Joo Jitae’s grand image-making failed.

Right after the interview, he made a huge mistake in the semifinal match, drawing all attention to himself.

* * *

The Uruguay team, which had defeated Brazil and advanced to the semifinals, was waiting for South Korea.

Uruguay.

Although it was a small country with a population of only 3.5 million, it was a powerhouse in football, boasting two World Cup championships.

However, those championships were in 1930 and 1950… It was no secret that it had been almost a century since their last win.

In the early 20th century, the team was at its peak, but by the 21st century, 30 years had passed, and they had become a ‘has-been’ team. However, they regained their past glory in the 2010s.

Uruguay, which had been ridiculed as an Oceania-level team, had been on a roll since the 2010 World Cup, finishing 4th, winning the 2011 Copa America, finishing 4th in the 2013 Confederations Cup, advancing to the 2014 World Cup round of 16, and finishing 8th in the 2015 Copa America. They met South Korea in the 2022 World Cup.

Uruguay, which had been grouped with South Korea, Portugal, and Ghana in Group H, was eliminated in the group stage.

The golden generation of Uruguay, led by Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, and Diego Godin, had ended their World Cup journey in disappointment, but…

[Fernando Alvarez! Fernando Alvarez is here!!]

…a new golden generation, led by 23-year-old Fernando Alvarez, who was considered the best young player, began to emerge.

The semifinal match against South Korea.

Uruguay, seeking revenge for the 2022 World Cup, which had ended in a draw, was determined to win, and South Korea, led by Joo Jitae, was trying to counter their pressure.

[25 minutes into the first half. Both teams are evenly matched, and the tension is palpable. The showdown between Joo Jitae and Fernando Alvarez is making our hands sweat.]

The intense match between South Korea and Uruguay began with a fierce tempo.

Especially, the one-on-one battle between Joo Jitae and Fernando Alvarez, the aces of both teams, was the highlight of the game.

[Joo Jitae blocks Fernando Alvarez again! Fernando Alvarez lowers his posture… Is he going to break through? He’s hesitating… Joo Jitae follows closely! He’s not backing down!]

[Wow!? Fernando Alvarez, what is this! He turned the tables on Joo Ji-tae, who was struggling, and took the lead! He’s getting away, ah, Joo Ji-tae’s tackle!! He barely escapes, but Fernando Alvarez takes the ball again! It’s Fernando Alvarez again!]

The intense confrontation between Joo Ji-tae, who seems to be on the verge of collapse, and Fernando Alvarez, who refuses to back down, will determine the outcome of this match.

[2:1 pass! Fernando Alvarez cleverly breaks through – eh? Joo Ji-tae intercepts and cuts off the pass in the middle!!]

[Joo Ji-tae’s fantastic block! Fernando Alvarez barely catches the ball, but Joo Ji-tae blocks him again. Hmm?]

So, the focus of everyone’s attention was on the two aces’ match, but it ended in a disappointing defeat.

[Eh? Jung Chae-geun!! Jung Chae-geun loses the ball!!]

[Uraguay’s open chance!!]

[Joo Ji-tae tries to cover, but – ah, Fernando Alvarez seizes the opportunity and scores a goal. Fernando… shoots! Goal… Fernando Alvarez scores again.]

The Korean players’ condition deteriorated due to the intense tempo, which led to a penalty shootout in the extended game.

Afterwards, Jo Jae-sin scored three goals, showcasing a super play, but –

[Eh!? Ko Tae-ho slipped – Uraguay’s counterattack! It’s dangerous, it’s dangerous!! Joo Ji-tae runs, but it’s too late! Ah… Fernando Alvarez’s second goal.]

[Uraguay takes a two-point lead….]

In the end, they lost the tempo battle and had to concede defeat.

Afterwards, in the third-place match against France, Joo Ji-tae’s one-man show led to a victory, but it was overshadowed by another news.

『Who is the owner of the World Cup Golden Ball?』

『Love call to Joo Ji-tae! Joo Ji-tae, who rose to fame in the transfer market!』

It was the World Cup awards ceremony and transfer rumors.