Reaching the round of 16: enthusiasm and astonishment at South Korea at the World Cup

South Korea’s entry into the round of 16 of the soccer World Cup in Qatar caused great enthusiasm and astonishment at home. President Yoon Suk Yeol and the South Korean media praised the 2-1 win in the last group game against favorite Portugal with superstar Ronaldo as a strong performance.

With the win, the Taeguk Warriors, led by their superstar Heung-Min Son, took second place in Group H, taking on record world champions Brazil in the round of 16 on Monday (20:00 CET).

“Miracle of Qatar”

“The players and the coaches made a great impression on the people of this country with their fighting spirit and passion,” Yoon wrote in a congratulatory message on social media on Saturday. He hopes South Korean football’s potential will show itself beyond win or lose.

The team “against all odds” managed to reach the knockout phase, wrote The Korea Herald newspaper. The newspaper “Dong-A Ilbo” had an euphoric headline: “Miracle of Qatar”. After the 2002 World Cup fourth-placed 0-0 in the first group match against Uruguay and the 2-3 in the second match against Ghana, the expectations of the fans in South Korea had already shrunk significantly.

The victory was also seen as satisfaction for Son, who still played with a mask due to a facial injury. According to the Chosun Ilbo newspaper, Son has already been criticized by Internet users for his poor performance so far. At the end he shed tears of joy. In his homeland, the 30-year-old Tottenham Hotspur striker and key player for the national team has now enjoyed cult status. “It’s great, but the tournament isn’t over yet,” Son said after the win. “I hope we can pull off another miracle.”