Professional soccer’s Pohang Steelers midfielder Kim Jong-woo, who declared that he would be the “King of Pohang,” has indeed emerged as the “King” after a series of twists and turns.
Pohang won the 2023 Hana OneQ Korea Football Association FA Cup final against Jeonbuk Hyundai 4-2 at Pohang Steelyard on Thursday.
After conceding an early goal and trailing by a point, Pohang won the match with a beautiful comeback goal by Kim Jong-woo midway through the second half.
Kim Seung-dae released the ball from the right side, and Kim Jong-woo, in front of the penalty area, used the pass to his advantage, turning to his right and firing an awl-like left-footed ground ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.
It was Pohang’s “winning goal” and the “Pohang debut goal” for attack-minded midfielder Kim Jong-woo.
After helping Gwangju FC to promotion to the K League 1 with five goals and two assists in 2021 and three goals and one assist in 2022, Kim Jong-woo put on a Pohang jersey this season with high expectations.
When he joined Pohang, he loudly proclaimed, “I will be the king of Pohang.”
However, his performance at the Steel Yard was far from royal.
A combination of poor performances and injuries didn’t help the team much.
He was also criticized for not being able to fully integrate into the team’s tactics.
Coach Kim Ki-dong, who led the effort to sign Kim Jong-woo, was also frustrated.
According to Kim Ki-dong, none of the players who wore the number 6 during his time in charge of Pohang have performed as poorly as Kim Jong-woo.
But in the most important game of the season, Kim Jong-woo showed off his offensive talents and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
“I felt sorry for the fans, the coach, and the club, but I’m glad I was able to wash it off a little bit,” Jong-woo said at the postgame press conference.
“I was injured for a long time, and I couldn’t help the team much, but the coach believed in me until the end, and my teammates gave me confidence,” he said, adding, “I was really desperate today. I’m so grateful that I wonder if I should get the MVP award.”
Kim Jong-woo recalled the ‘King of Pohang’ remark and laughed, saying, “I realized that people should be careful with their words. I remember the coach asking me, ‘When will you become the king?
“I think it’s just the beginning, and I’ll do more to become the king of Pohang,” he said. 토토사이트