▲ South Korean defender Kim Young-gwon speaks at a press conference at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 1, 2021, ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Iraq, in this photo provided by the Korea Football Association. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ South Korean defender Kim Young-gwon warms up before practice at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 30, 2021, ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Iraq, in this photo provided by the Korea Football Association. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

football-player

Nat'l football team defender stresses mental toughness ahead of World Cup qualifier

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- With 81 matches for South Korea under his belt, defender Kim Young-gwon has experienced numerous highs and lows in the national team uniform.

A veteran of the past two FIFA World Cups, the 31-year-old is aiming to make it three in a row. Kim will once again be an integral part of the South Korean back line during the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2022 World Cup. The final phase kicks off at 8 p.m. Thursday against Iraq at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Leaning on his experience, Kim spoke on Wednesday about the importance of staying mentally tough through the presser cooker that is the qualifying campaign.

"It's all about how much confidence we have in ourselves and how well we can execute our game plan," Kim said at an online press conference from the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. "We have to outwork our opponents and play without putting pressure on ourselves. If the guys just play the way they're capable of and enjoy the matches, I think the results will follow."

Kim, one-time national team captain, said he hasn't felt any need to speak up in the locker room this week because the players know exactly what they're supposed to do.

"We'll be running into our share of challenges, and we've been talking to each other quite a bit about how to overcome adversity," Kim said. "We can't lose sight of the fact that every match in this round will be a difficult one."

Though South Korea's training camp only opened Monday and the first practice with the full squad was only held Wednesday morning, Kim said he and his teammates don't need much time to get on the same page.

"I think we all have a good understanding of our systems and tactics, and where we should be on the field and how we're supposed to execute our plans," Kim said. "If we can keep doing what we've been doing all along, we should be able to make it out of the qualifying round."

South Korea and Iraq are among six teams in Group A, with another half-dozen nations paired in Group B. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.

The two No. 3 seeds will clash in a playoff match, and the winner will then advance to the last-chance intercontinental playoff.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]