(LEAD) football-Olympics
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| ▲ In this file photo from June 23, 2021, players on the South Korean men's Olympic football team huddle during practice at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Hwang Ui-jo of the South Korean men's Olympic football team speaks to reporters at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on July 2, 2021. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ In this file photo from June 23, 2021, players on the South Korean men's Olympic football team train at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ In this file photo from June 23, 2021, Kim Hak-bum (C), head coach of the South Korean men's Olympic football team, watches his players during a practice session at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on June 23, 2021. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) football-Olympics
(LEAD) Olympic men's football team opens final camp before Tokyo
(ATTN: ADDS comments in paras 9-11; photo)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- The game is almost on.
The South Korean men's Olympic football team kicked off their final training camp before the Tokyo Games on Friday. Head coach Kim Hak-bum gathered his 22 players at the National Football Center (NFC) in Paju, north of Seoul, with a couple of tuneup matches on the horizon in two weeks' time before the Olympic tournament begins on July 22.
Kim announced his initial 18-man roster Wednesday. Then on Thursday, FIFA decided to expand rosters to 22 players for all competing countries, and Kim announced his four additional picks earlier Friday.
Though the Olympic men's football competition is typically reserved for players under 23, the age limit was raised to 24 for Tokyo because the Olympics got postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Teams can each name a maximum three players over the age limit. Kim selected FC Girondins de Bordeaux striker Hwang Ui-jo, Suwon Samsung Bluewings midfielder Kwon Chang-hoon and Beijing Guoan defender Kim Min-jae to fill those overage spots.
Conspicuous by his absence is Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min. He was left off despite getting the green light from his Premier League club to represent the country. Coach Kim has not yet revealed reasons for his decision not to pick Son and has only thanked the player for showing a strong desire to play at the Olympics.
But the three that Kim did pick are no slouches.
Hwang has been the most lethal scorer for the senior national team over the past three years. He has scored 13 goals since head coach Paulo Bento took the reins in August 2018, more than any Korean player in that span. Hwang also led Bordeaux with 12 goals this past season.
Hwang, who played for Kim Hak-bum while winning the 2018 Asian Games gold medal, said he was ready to create more memorable moments this summer.
"I've always wanted to play in the Olympics," Hwang said after arriving at the NFC on Friday afternoon. "As a striker, I'll try to do my best to create offense."
South Korea's best Olympic performance so far is the bronze medal from 2012 in London. Asked if this year's team can top that, Hwang said, "We have to develop chemistry in training and put that to good use in matches. We must overcome challenges in every match."
Kim Min-jae is the regular centerback for the senior team and is one of the most coveted defenders in the international market. With his current deal with Beijing Guoan set to expire in December, Kim, who turns 25 in November, has been linked to clubs such as Juventus and FC Porto.
Kwon is a 27-year-old attacking midfielder with a nose for the goal. He is one of three left-footed players on the Olympic team and should get his share of chances in set pieces.
In the U-24 group, Valencia CF midfielder Lee Kang-in is the youngest on the team at 20, but he is one of the most gifted playmakers.
The midfield corps has some versatile players, such as Won Du-jae and Lee Dong-gyeong, a pair of Ulsan Hyundai FC teammates.
The 23-year-old goalkeeper Song Bum-keun brings a lot of international experience and has a championship pedigree, having backstopped Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to K League 1 titles in each of the past three seasons.
Centerback Jeong Tae-wook will be the team captain. He's the tallest South Korean player at 194 centimeters and will be in charge of controlling the aerial game.
Up front, Song Min-kyu of Pohang Steelers, the 2020 K League Young Player of the Year, offers a deft scoring touch and could be a viable sidekick to Hwang.
South Korea will be in Group B at the Olympics. They will play New Zealand on July 22, Romania on July 25 and Honduras on July 28. The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals.
In preparation for the Olympics, South Korea will play two tuneup matches at home this month: on July 13 against Argentina and on July 16 against France at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Kim's squad will then fly to Japan on July 17.
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