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“Korea needs more than luck next time”

June 19, 2014

A Brazilian journalist says lack of a star player hurts Korea’s chances

Russia’s goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, left, lies in the goal as South Korea’s Koo Ja-cheol celebrates after scoring the opening goal during their group H World Cup soccer match at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba, Brazil, Tuesday, June 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

By Valter Junior / Metro Brazil

South Korea can be considered a traditional team in World Cups but there is a long way to close the gap between them and the great teams.

With a bit of luck, Lee Keun-Ho scored against Russia. But luck is not enough in football. Luck needs to be the last choice in a campaign, not the first one.

And few minutes later Russia scored the equalizer.

In their opening game in the World Cup, South Korea team showed a lot of discipline and the players put their hearts on their boots to win the game.

But to win a World Cup match you need more. What’s missing is a shining star ― a player who is capable of solving problems by himself; someone able to answer new “questions” in every game.

Such a genuine talent is missing. And that’s not easy to find.

It’s not something that you can teach, but something that you are born with. And only time and a massive football culture can bring this kind of player.

Africans used to have those players, but lacked organization. Today they are more organized, but are short of talent.

And this kind of player is pivotal to being competitive against a great team.

Against Russia, South Korea was solid and had few chances. The team didn’t have solutions to break a defensive team built by Russia’s Italian coach Fabio Capello.

Nevertheless, the Korean team seems capable to at least get out of the group phase of the World Cup and into the round of 16.

This is an edited version of the original story by Valter Junior, a journalist for Metro Brazil. He will occasionally write for The Korea Times during the World Cup in Brazil. ― ED.