Veteran defender Kim Young-kwon (Ulsan HD)’s words were short and concise.
Ulsan HD, where Kim Young-kwon belongs, drew 2-2 against Gwangju FC in the second round of the semifinals of the 2024 Hana Bank Korea Cup at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on the 28th. Ulsan recorded a total of 3-2 in the first and second games, winning the ticket to the finals. Ulsan won 1-0 in the first round on the 21st. Kim Young-kwon started the day and helped the team advance to the finals.
Kim was recently invited by the coach of the South Korean national soccer team Hong Myung-bo. He will be on standby for the first and second rounds of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup against Palestine (Home) and Oman (Wonjeong) in September. Five Ulsan players including Kim have been named in the upcoming national team. However, some raised controversy over his “loyalty soccer.” Watchers suspect that Hong may have called in players he knows well, including Kim.
After the Korea Cup, Kim Young-kwon said, “There was always a bad sound before I went to the 2018 Russia World Cup and before I went to the 2022 Qatar World Cup. I heard that a lot, but in the end, the result is important.”
He said he has yet to talk about the national team with the other Ulsan players who were selected for the September A match. Kim said, “We have more games to play. Not only the national team players but also other players think that our culture is important. The players who failed to make the national team can express their disappointment. We are creating such a culture.”
Kim Young-kwon, born in 1990, made his A-match debut in a friendly match against Nigeria in 2010. Since then, he has been a key center back for Korean soccer for more than a decade. He has firmly secured Korea’s back door at various events such as the World Cup and Asian Cup. He is truly a veteran with 111 A matches alone.
Kim Young-kwon said, “Whether it’s good or bad, I think it’s natural to hear stories about the national team. I’ll prove it. If I do well in the national team, I think all those stories will disappear.” 메이저놀이터
Fortunately, he has recently been in good condition. He judged his current condition to be around 80 to 90 percent of his peak condition. “It is also true that I made mistakes (during games) in the early and mid-season,” Kim said. “That is something I have to overcome. Nonetheless, he has shown great performance lately. His team is also winning. He should maintain this condition.”
Ulsan coach Kim Pan-gon also said, “I think only five players have been selected (for the national team). There are a few more players to go. We should have picked more of our players.” He encouraged his players, saying, “Since staying in Ulsan will be difficult, I can go to the national team to learn, grow, refresh myself and start over.”