I wanted to avoid it if I could. However, I had no choice but to avoid it as an enemy. These are the stories of “captain” Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) and “Monster defender” Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich).
Tottenham and Bayern Munich played two Coupang Play Series games at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 3rd. Bayern Munich took a 2-0 lead by combining Gabriel Vidovic in the fourth minute of the first half and Leon Goretzka in the 10th minute of the second half. Tottenham chased with Pedro Porro’s score in the 21st minute of the second half, but there was not enough time to turn the game around.
It was the match between Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae that drew attention. The two players, who are seniors and juniors of the Korean national soccer team, played on the ground as “enemies” for the first time. Fans filled the stadium to see them. A total of 63,496 spectators breathed together on the soccer field.
Son Heung-min stepped on the ground as a left-side striker and Kim Min-jae as a center back. Son Heung-min launched the first attack. Early in the game, he penetrated the left back space and aimed for Bayern Munich’s goal. Kim Min-jae actively defended. He blocked Tottenham’s pass path with one quick move. The two had a “captain competition” in the second half. Kim Min-jae came out wearing the captain’s armband at the beginning of the second half. The two were seen fighting several times right after the start of the second half. When Son Heung-min tried to shoot in the third minute of the second half, Kim Min-jae blocked it with a cooperative defense with a teammate. Three minutes later, Kim Min-jae cut off the header to block the pass to Son Heung-min. Kim Min-jae was replaced by Eric Dier in the ninth minute of the second half and was withdrawn to the bench. The first match between the two also ended.
After the game, Son Heung-min said, “Kim Min-jae is a player that I really like and care about. He is one of the best players in the world. Also, I am sure that will happen. I have never doubted Kim’s ability. I always talked about him with good words and good words. I think I showed that to everyone in this game as well. I’m really proud as a Korean teammate. I hope I can do better in the future.”
Many of his Bayern Munich teammates praised him. Joshua Kimmich said, “There is a good reason why I signed with Kim Min-jae at Bayern Munich. Kim Min-jae is a really strong defender. He proved himself well in this match as well.” Manuel Neuer, the “world’s best goalkeeper, also said, “I feel safe and secure when Kim Min-jae plays. He is a very aggressive defender. In particular, he is strong in one-on-one. He is the type of player who often increases through offense. I have worked with a lot of players, but among them, I think Kim Min-jae is a very outstanding player.” 안전놀이터
Tottenham never stopped praising Son. “He always believes in leadership and experience as the captain of our team. He is always a good captain.” Tottenham and Bayern Munich will have another showdown in London on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Tottenham and Bayern Munich both showed their utmost sincerity in their Korean tour. After visiting Korea for the first time in two years, Tottenham came to Korea flying the Korean national flag. Bayern Munich, which visited Korea for the first time since its foundation in 1900, also made thorough preparations. They thanked their fans by waving Korean uniforms and placards written in Korean. Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae also provided friends with the “taste of Korea.”