Kim Eun-Joong-ho is making waves in Argentina. He’s already qualified for the round of 16 before he’s even played his third group game. It’s a very unfamiliar sight for South Koreans, who are used to always counting the cases. At least in the U-20 World Cup, South Korea is the Pride of Asia.
The adult World Cup is a big deal in Asia, but the U-20 World Cup is even bigger.
The U-20 tournament is the gateway to the world… Maradona and Messi both win Golden Balls. Holland is the top scorer
The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) U-20 World Cup has been played for 46 years since its inaugural edition in 1977. Many superstar players have gone through the tournament. The winners of the Golden Ball, the tournament’s most prestigious award, are a testament to its status as a “showcase for budding stars.
The late Diego Maradona was recognized for leading Argentina to victory in 1979. He’s not the only one. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain), the GOAT who rewrote the history of soccer worldwide, also won the Golden Ball in 2005. Other Golden Ball winners include Brazilian striker Adriano in 1993, Sergio Aguero (Argentina), who made his mark as a Man City striker in 2007, and Paul Pogba (Juventus), a key midfielder for the French national team and Juventus-Manchester United mainstay, in 2013.
Elling Holland (Norway-Manchester City), the world’s best striker at the moment and a “monster striker” with 36 Premier League (EPL) goals, scored a whopping nine goals and was the top scorer at the 2019 tournament in Poland.
South Korea also has a shining star at the U-20 level. Lee Kang-in (Mallorca) won the Golden Ball at the 2019 World Cup in Poland. Led by Lee, South Korea finished as the best runner-up in the history of men’s soccer at a FIFA-organized tournament. It was the birth of the so-called Golden Generation.
After defeating ‘powerhouse’ Argentina 2-1 in the group stage, South Korea went on to win the round of 16 against Korea, the quarterfinals against Senegal, and the final against Ecuador, but fell short of the title with a 1-3 loss to Ukraine.
Lee was Mallorca’s ace in the 토토사이트 hole. He was touted as the best dribbler in La Liga. He is currently receiving offers from the EPL. The possibility of a move in the summer transfer window continues to be a possibility. South Korea’s striker Kim Yong-hak and defender Kim Ji-soo have been in the spotlight in this tournament.
This is the 23rd edition of the U-20 World Cup, which originated from the 1977 World Youth Football Championship, and South Korea has qualified 16 times in 23 attempts, failing to reach the knockout stage seven times.
On five occasions, they have advanced to the quarterfinals, and on two occasions they have reached the quarterfinals or higher.
After being knocked out in the group stage at both the 1979 Japan and 1981 Australia tournaments, South Korea made history by reaching the quarterfinals of the 1983 Mexico tournament in their third appearance. In the 16-team tournament, the team’s prospects looked bleak after a 0-2 loss to Scotland in their first group game, but they bounced back with wins over Mexico and Australia (both 2-1) to reach the quarterfinals.
Jong-hwan Park’s side even beat South American powerhouse Uruguay 2-1 to reach the final, only to lose 1-2 in the quarterfinals to Brazil, a team that included Dunga and Bebetu. This is the myth of the Mexican quarterfinals, which the public was introduced to right up until the 2002 World Cup.
At the U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023, Kim Eun-Joong-ho’s side reached the round of 16 in three consecutive tournaments (2017, 2019, and 2023) after collecting one win and one draw from their two group games.
If they can use the momentum from knocking out ‘favorites’ France in their first game to reach the quarterfinals, it will be their sixth quarterfinal appearance in history, and if they make it to the semifinals, it will be their third quarterfinal appearance since 1983-2019.
South Korea The so-called ‘semi-defending champions’. They are the runners-up of the last tournament, so the bar is set higher. They don’t dare say it out loud, but they want to win.
The South Korean team will play their final group game against Gambia at the Mendoza Stadium in Argentina at 6 a.m. on Sept. 29 for the top spot in the group.