Help has arrived from Korea. The Red Devils’ supporters have finally arrived in Qatar to help the Taeguk Warriors in their quest for the title.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, will kick off the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qatar Asian Cup Round of 16 against Roberto Mancini’s Saudi Arabia at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, at 1:00 a.m. ET on June 31.
My biggest disappointment during the group stage was the support. There were many Korean, foreign, and Korean-American fans cheering for Korea, but they were outnumbered by their opponents. As the tournament was held in the Middle East, there were many fans from other countries in the stadium cheering for Bahrain and Jordan.
The first game of the tournament, against Saudi Arabia, is expected to be a lively affair for the Taeguk Warriors. The Red Devils supporters are expected to play a role in uniting the fans scattered throughout the stadium, as well as cheering on Klinsmann with drums, chants, and songs.
The Red Devils announced on their official social media accounts, “It’s finally our turn! When our voice reaches the athletes, we will win,” the Red Devils announced their arrival in Qatar on their official social media account.
On the morning of the 30th local time, a welcome and reliable supporter from South Korea stepped onto the ground in Qatar. The Red Devils, the national team’s cheering squad, arrived in Doha at dawn after traveling from Incheon the night before.
The Red Devils gathered at Education City Stadium Station, a gathering point near the stadium, two-and-a-half hours before kickoff. At 4:30 p.m. local time, they gathered in front of the station for an off-field cheer before heading to the stands. It’s a 25-minute walk from the Metro station to the stands.
After arriving in Qatar earlier in the day, Kang said, “I set up an away chat room to support all the domestic and international matches. I’ve been here since the round of 16, so I’ll be able to watch all four games. I will stay until February 12. I believe in the players, I believe in the coach, and I hope we can win the championship. If you count the 20 people who are here today and the people who are coming from other countries, it’s probably hundreds. We are preparing to cheer as much as possible,” he said, adding that he hoped for a victory with passionate support.
The 300 Korean fans will have to face a Saudi crowd of 30,000. The Red Devils hope that their ‘one hundred and one’ support will reach the Taeguk Warriors.