The spotlight is definitely on Jesse Lingard (FC Seoul) at the beginning of the K-League 1 in the 2024 season. His every move on the pitch and his daily life are drawing attention.
However, other than Lingard, there are several foreign players who challenged for the first time in the Korean league ahead of this season. Among them, the players who have been playing without getting used to it since the beginning of this season are introduced.
The hero of the opening match of the K-League is Lingard. The public’s eyes were on him in the first match against Gwangju FC (0-2 loss). However, the actual hero was Gwangju winger Gabriel (Brazil), who had a showdown with Lingard.
Gabriel, who is relatively tall measuring 82 centimeters and weighing 80 kilograms, scored an explosive dribble throughout the 90 minutes in his debut match with Seoul. He also scored a goal right before the end of the match. He made a perfect debut match and was named the MVP of the opening round. He also scored multiple goals in the subsequent match against Gangwon FC (four-2 win), making him the best 11 players in the K League 1 for the first and second consecutive rounds.
Another Brazilian winger, Andersson FC (Suwon FC), is also notable. A short man standing at one meter and 69 centimeters, Andersson has attracted fans with his remarkable footwork and dribbling ability. He is also characterized by the flexibility of a Brazilian player. More than anything else, he has outstanding teamwork with Lee Seung-woo, the star player of his team. “Anderson is an extraordinary player with skill and individual ability. He is a player who can develop in every game,” Lee said.
Jeju United’s central midfielder Thalgaro (Brazil) is also a freshman. Thalgaro, who is 1 meter and 90 centimeters tall, has displayed good performances in the Jeju midfield, including build-up and ball cutting capabilities. Many say that the midfield that he formed with Choi Young-joon is full of vitality and more stable than ever. It remains to be seen whether Thalgaro will surpass the stronghold of Brazilian midfielder Auverdan (Pohang Steelers), who won the best 11th place in this season in his first year in the K-League last season. 핑크알바
Noteworthy is Daejeon Hana Citizen’s offensive duo Mrapa (Togo) and Hosa (Brazil). Daejeon added two more foreign strikers to make Thiago (Jeonbuk Hyundai), who scored 17 goals last season, more competitive.
Winger Hosa and 1m 95cm tall striker Mrapa both scored their first goals in their debut match. In particular, Mrapa, who drew attention as a native of the German Bundesliga, showed off his high class in the match against Gangwon FC (1-1 draw) on the 16th by cutting through the net with elaborate shots in the area on the right side of the penalty box, which is relatively angular. It is a match that has been bogged down in the opening three games without wins (two draws and one loss), but the performance of foreign strikers is a ray of hope.