Chapter 19
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World Cup Third Qualifiers.
Group C, Match 7, Game 1.
The match against Iraq was held at our home ground, Sangam World Cup Stadium.
The World Cup qualifiers, especially given our consistent accumulation of points so far, meant that today’s result could determine our advancement to the finals.
Perhaps because of this, Coach Valdé was watching the field with an expression as if everything was on the line.
Considering the importance of the match, he must have fielded the best possible players in the starting lineup.
“Ah, man… I thought I’d be in the starting lineup. Don’t you think so, Ian?”
“…This guy has lost his mind.”
Of course, both Yoon Seung-hwan and I started on the bench as substitutes.
Even though Coach Valdé said in interviews that selecting us was only natural because we were the best players, his decision not to start us contradicted his words, which Seung-hwan complained about relentlessly.
But honestly, I understood the coach’s reasoning.
‘Because the opponent is Iraq…’
Iraq.
Though overshadowed by Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, it’s considered one of the powerhouses of Middle Eastern football, alongside Jordan.
Of course, they couldn’t compare to us, with our roster filled with players performing in Europe, but they were strong enough on an Asian level that experimenting with a bold starting lineup wasn’t an option.
“If we showed good results in training, he’ll probably send us in at the start of the second half to gauge things. Why are you stressing over this before the game even starts?”
“I know, but I did really well during training!”
Glancing around, Seung-hwan whispered into my ear.
He probably didn’t have the guts to boast about himself in front of the senior players.
“I handled everything well, including the drills and stamina tests, so I thought he’d give me a shot in the starting lineup.”
“Then he’ll give you a chance in the next match. If you’re so eager to play, just wait until the second half. If they keep using Namu hyung, they’re not going to play him full-time today anyway.”
“Really?”
After pondering my words for a moment, Seung-hwan scratched his head and straightened his posture.
Why is he so obsessed with starting, anyway?
It’s not like the striker pool is any deeper than the defensive midfielder pool, so his chance will come soon enough if he just waits.
As I shook my head in confusion, Seung-hwan cautiously asked again.
“By the way, how did that training with Namu hyung go? If it went well, wouldn’t you also get subbed in during the second half?”
“… I was personally satisfied, but I don’t know if the coach or the staff would give it a passing grade.”
The long-distance crossing practice with Namu hyung.
In that drill, Namu hyung successfully converted all 20 balls I delivered into the goal.
Thirteen were headers, and the remaining seven were resolved through breakthroughs.
I wanted to let him keep heading the ball to his heart’s content, but after the tenth attempt, he became overly dramatic, so I wrapped things up appropriately.
Still, if I had to say whether it was good or bad, I’d confidently say it was good.
‘Was it because his head shape is broad and ideal? The ball didn’t deflect much, so every shot went exactly where I aimed.’
Having honed my skills endlessly for the World Cup in my previous life and now, I could usually tell if a player was good or not just by how the ball connected with their body.
Based on that standard, Namu hyung deserved a score almost as high as Seung-hwan.
‘Although, unlike Seung-hwan, he did start complaining about a headache after a few shots…’
That wasn’t a big deal.
I wasn’t bothered by the whining of fragile strikers—it wasn’t the first time I’d heard it.
They might complain initially, but after a few more reps, they’d fall silent soon enough.
Isn’t there a saying?
‘In baseball, the more you overwork a pitcher’s arm, the stronger it gets. I don’t know which esteemed scholar said that, but it’s a great quote… and it can be applied to football. You can train your head the same way.’
The pain of today will become the nutrients for the flowers of tomorrow.
With that belief, I looked fondly at Namu hyung warming up on the field.
“What’s with your expression? Why do you look like that? Are you crazy?”
Seung-hwan’s odd comment interrupted my thoughts, but I decided not to mind it.
***
Republic of Korea National Team
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Coach: Martin Valdé
Park Namu
Bae Joon-hong, Lee Kang-jin, Yang Min-hyung
Shin Nam-hyuk, Moon Tae-hwan
Park Kyu-hyun, Kang Min-wook, Kim Jae-su, Yoo Ji-hoon
Kim Joon-ho
Iraq National Team
Formation: 3-5-2
Coach: Renato Ignacio
Ali Hassan
Ahmed Muhammad
Omar Tariq
Ibrahim
Haider Yahya Nasir
Amin
Iraq’s style in the third qualifier could best be described as “bed football.”
Bed football.
In simple terms, it’s a tactic where players act as if they’re gravely injured and lie on the field even after minimal contact.
Though this approach originated in England, the birthplace of football, it was the Middle Eastern teams that fully embraced and perfected the tactic.
‘That’s why they always say, when playing against a Middle Eastern team, you must score the opening goal no matter what. If you fail to establish dominance early, the rest of the game will be utterly draining.’
Even just slight contact would have them screaming and lying down on the field all day long, which was frustrating enough to watch.
If it’s frustrating for the spectators, imagine how much worse it must be for the players actually on the field.
It would be even more aggravating.
Already, the game is exhausting, but seeing your opponents lying on the field chatting with the medics drives you mad.
‘What’s worse, some sly players deliberately provoke their opponents this way and then counterattack to secure victory.’
Of course, if we were to view bed football as just another tactic, it might not be entirely bad.
After all, when your opponents say, “What an awful way to play the game,” it can be considered a compliment in some ways.
With that logic, bed football could be an effective strategy for provoking the other team.
But this only applies in cases where you’re already leading and need to maintain a score difference in a must-win game.
In cases like the Middle Eastern teams, where they haven’t even scored the opening goal, lying down recklessly cannot be called an ideal strategy.
‘That’s why FIFA tried so hard to crack down on bed football. Referees began issuing warnings, medics had to transport players off the field under certain conditions, and of course, the biggest change was the adjustment to the added time rule.’
Since the rule change, where stoppage time increased based on game delays, bed football had largely disappeared.
But a tactic that once dominated an era wouldn’t just vanish because of a simple rule change.
The Middle Eastern teams worked tirelessly to refine their “bed football of ten thousand trials,” adapting it to break the rules.
After extensive research, Middle Eastern bed football made a comeback.
You could call it Bed Football MK2 or even True Bed Football—either would fit perfectly.
‘In the past, they would lie down immediately after the slightest touch, as if they’d been tackled. But not anymore. Now they know that doing so might get them carried off or warned, so they target their opponents too.’
If the old bed football was about lying down alone while leaving the opponent standing, the new bed football was a brutal, even vicious playstyle where both players ended up on the ground.
This was the new bed football that spread through the Middle East, and its effectiveness was remarkable.
“Ahhhhh!”
-Tweet!
“Wow. Why are those guys playing so rough? And why is he the one lying down after initiating the collision?”
A scream filled the stadium as Iraq’s central midfielder, Tariq, collided with Nam-hyuk hyung.
Two players lay sprawled on the field, the match delayed once again.
This was all part of their plan.
Iraq had no intention of defeating a powerhouse like Korea in this match. Their goal was to stall as much as possible and force a draw.
If left unchecked, Iraq would continue to tackle our players harshly, stalling for time.
In other words, something had to change.
“Ian. Seung-hwan.”
“Yes.”
“Get ready to go in.”
Coach Valdé’s decision was a substitution.
***
This was a must-win match.
But with the team struggling against the Middle Eastern bed football tactics, Coach Valdé made a bold move: a substitution of four players, including two rookies.
Of course, it wasn’t just a substitution. The entry of new players also meant a change in tactics.
“So, we’re switching from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-2-4-1? Namu hyung moves down to central striker, and Seung-hwan becomes the poacher?”
“Yes. But during offensive situations, it shifts to a 3-2-3-2, so Namu hyung will stay forward. The idea is to relieve the pressure focused on him.”
“I see.”
“And during attacks, both of us volante players will move forward. Meanwhile, Jun-seong hyung, who’s replacing Ji-hoon hyung, will temporarily take on the holding role in defense.”
“For a three-back system, it’s really aggressive. Is the message to score at all costs?”
At my comment, Tae-hwan hyung nodded.
A change in formation, coupled with adjustments in tactical details.
With the opposing team’s bed football turning out to be rougher than expected, and the original plan of overloading the lone volante failing, the coach’s bold judgment made sense.
Our task was clear.
We had to counter the opposing team’s plan of aggressive, body-on-body play while exploiting their lone volante.
While this might seem like a difficult task for rookies, I honestly wasn’t too worried.
‘That kind of rough play? It’s my favourite from my past life.’
There’s an old saying: “Meat tastes best to those who’ve eaten it before.”
As someone who once dominated the EPL and Serie A as an authority on dirty play, I was more than ready for this challenge.
Of course, if I lost, I’d pay a hefty price.
“Ian! It’s coming your way! I’m too far!”
Suppressing the smirk of anticipation creeping onto my face, I heard Tae-hwan hyung’s voice from beside me.
When I looked up, I saw the ball soaring high and coming toward me.
And right in front of me, Iraq’s forward Hassan was preparing to charge at me.
‘If I contest for the aerial ball, he’ll just go down. But if I try to control it with my feet, there’s a risk of getting carded.’
In that case… I’d deal with it another way.
Grinning slightly, I moved into position and pretended to set up for a screen play.
Perhaps convinced that I was preparing for a physical contest, Hassan picked up speed and charged at me.
As the ball reached just above my height, I leaned forward and headed it straight into Hassan’s abdomen.
Thud!
“What the—(ماذا؟)”
Hassan, who had no time to react, took the ball to his stomach. It must’ve been a bit too forceful, as he flinched on the spot.
The moment I hesitated in front of my opponent, the outcome was obvious.
“Passing with the abdomen? This kid’s got the makings of a world-class player.”
“You bastard! (أيها الوغد!)”
After breaking free from the pressure through an involuntary one-two pass with Hassan, I sprinted forward at full speed.
As Coach Valdé had explained, the opponent’s tactics centered around actively utilizing their wingers.
This meant Iraq spread most of their midfielders wide to support their wingers during attacks.
The only one left isolated in the center was No. 6, Ibrahim Sulaka.
“Ian! You can pass it right away!”
“No! I’ll break through myself, so you guys just move forward!”
If I can break through him, Iraq will completely collapse.
With that thought in mind, I picked up my pace, charging through the midfield and into the second line of their territory.
“I’ll block him, so hurry back! (سأوقفه، عد إلى هنا الآن!)”
Just as Ibrahim Sulaka approached and extended his foot toward me, I immediately pulled the ball back toward myself.
At the same time, I turned my back to him, using the heel of my other foot to drag the ball forward and pivot around him.
Marseille Turn.
A move often used by players with excellent footwork, but not something you’d expect from a defensive midfielder.
Perhaps that’s why Ibrahim Sulaka was completely fooled.
Screech!
“Ahh! Ugh!”
“What is this guy?”
Losing his balance, he slipped awkwardly and pathetically, even resorting to crawling on all fours to try and keep up.
Watching his ridiculous display, I gave him a casual thumbs-up in mock admiration and began jogging forward at a steady pace.
“Wow, you’re pretty good at crawling on all fours. Hey, why not change your name from Ibrahim Sulaka to Poppy?”
“You…! (إييك!)”
“What, you don’t like it? Fine, let’s call you Chunshik from now on. Chunshik, follow your big brother properly, okay?”
“Arrgh!”
Even though I spoke in Korean, Ibrahim seemed to grasp from my tone and expression that he was being mocked.
Grinding his teeth, he fiercely chased after me.
While I maintained a leisurely pace, he managed to get back on his feet and sprint again, but… it was already too late.
“Seung-hwan! I’m threading it through!”
“Huh? Not to the head? Oh, okay!”
Thump!
As our team’s second-line players pushed forward into the now-vacant midfield, Iraq’s defensive line stretched out and left wide gaps.
Having threaded a quick pass through those gaps, the defenders had no way to respond.
Tap!
The pass I sent cutting through the field landed perfectly at Yoon Seung-hwan’s feet.
At the same time, the goalkeeper anticipated a shot and shifted toward the far post to narrow the angle.
Bang!
But instead of aiming for the far post as expected, Yoon Seung-hwan went for the near post.
It was a bold and risky shot.
Yet, as if to prove the protagonist title suits him, his challenging shot avoided the goalkeeper’s hands and began spinning toward the net.
Rustle!
[“Ahhhhhhh!”]
As the ball nestled into the net, Sangam Stadium erupted into a frenzy, shaking as if it would collapse.
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