“Monster” Kim Min-jae (28, Bayern Munich) smiled brightly again.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, entered Oman through Muscat International Airport on the afternoon of the 7th (Korean time). South Korea will face Oman at 11 p.m. on the 10th at Sultan Qaboos Stadium in the second Group B match of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup.
The national team did not win the first match on its home turf on the 5th. The opponent was Palestine, ranked 96th in the FIFA rankings, but the result was a 0-0 draw. The damaged grass at the Seoul World Cup Stadium was also one of the factors that hindered the team, but Korea’s decision-making and performance also fell short of expectations.
He was unlucky. At the end of the second half, Son Heung-min received a pass from Lee Kang-in and fired a powerful shot past the goalkeeper, but the ball hit the post and came out. South Korea, which failed to open the Palestinian goal in the end, had to settle for one point.
There was also noise outside of the game. Fans who visited the stadium booed Coach Hong Myung-bo and Chung Mong-kyu, president of the Korea Football Association, for whom fairness was disputed during the selection process even before kick-off. Unlike regular “A-match,” which sold out fast, the tickets sold barely more than 60,000 tickets.
After the whistle blew, Kim approached the audience and asked for support instead of boos. He also did not bow his head alone in the team’s group greeting, which sparked controversy.
Afterwards, Kim Min-jae said, “I asked you to restrain yourself because I think you were too serious. I hope you can cheer for us.” “It was a pity that he seemed to want us to do poorly even before the game started,” he said. “I could hardly concentrate as I heard boos even before the game began. That was a pity, so I asked you to refrain yourself. I had no bad intentions.”
As the controversy arose, the “Red Devils” drew the line, saying, “There was no war of words between the players and the audience.” The Red Devils also asked for support and encouragement, saying, “I think it happened because Kim Min-jae, who desperately wanted to win, was disappointed that the result was not good and misunderstood. However, the method and place of expression are very disappointing,” but added, “I would appreciate it if you could change the reprimand and criticism of the player into a voice of support so that he can become a better player in the future and help him focus on the rest of the game.”
Fortunately, Kim Min-jae’s face was full of smiles when he met him in Oman. He showed off his special fan service when he arrived in Oman through Muscat International Airport at around 12 p.m. local time on the 7th.
Kim Min-jae was by far the biggest star in the Korean national team. When he passed by, Korean residents there asked for his autograph in a loud voice, and Kim Min-jae stopped walking with a somewhat awkward expression.
Kim Min-jae smiled brightly and received a gift certificate and a pen from his fans and signed diligently. Fans were also busy taking pictures of Kim Min-jae on their cell phones.
Since then, the Korean team including Kim Min-jae have started adapting to the local area without time to breathe. After taking a short break, the team started adaptation training at Al Shiv Stadium in the afternoon. All 26 players participated in the training.
Kim did not lose his smile even in his first training session in Oman. Kim, who started in the match against Palestine, warmed up in the recovery group along with Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, and Hwang In-beom. Kim walked side by side with Son and exchanged pranks.
Overall, the team was in a friendly mood. Notably, the team was engaged in “reactive catch” training to strengthen balance and reaction speed with Min Chung-seop, making people smile.
This was a training in which two players throw and receive an object that is a combination of three blue, red and yellow bars. As it was a difficult training in which one had to stand on one foot and grasp the part of the color that the opponent shouted, mistakes could often occur. Kim Min-jae, who was facing Oh Se-hoon, also had fun while smiling big. He looked good enough to expect him to come back as a “monster defender” after letting go of his burdens. 먹튀검증
Meanwhile, Coach Hong Myung-bo, like Kim Min-jae, asked the players to cheer for him. “Kim Min-jae, whom I know, is a player who always knows how to thank his fans and says that cheering gives him strength,” he said. “The coach can fully criticize him. Still, I hope the players will cheer for him. The coach can blame him.”