An athlete exists only when there is a fan. This adage demonstrates the importance of fans in the sports world.
However, Kim Min-jae, a member of the Korean national soccer team, had an unprecedented confrontation with a fan after a match against Palestine on the 5th. Even his captain Son Heung-min was severely reprimanded. Kim Min-jae needs to reflect on the importance of fans once again.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, drew 0-0 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 5th (Korea time) in Group B of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup.
The result was shocking. Korea was expected to win by a landslide, but Korea failed to open the goal for Palestine, which is ranked 96th in the FIFA rankings, due to its lackluster performance.
The atmosphere at the stadium was also abysmal. In fact, the match was the first official match since Hong Myung-bo took the helm of the Korean national soccer team. Due to controversy over the appointment of Hong, fans booed both Hong and Chung Mong-kyu, president of the Korea Football Association.
The problem happened after the game. Kim went to the audience with the Red Devils and said, “Please support the players. I beg of you.” Kim also declined to greet the Red Devils.
After the game, Kim Min-jae said in the mixed zone, “Actually, we didn’t play well from the beginning. However, from the beginning, there were sounds of people wanting the team to do poorly. I wasn’t trying to fight off aggressively, I was just trying to convey my regret. This is totally my opinion,” he said, refusing to budge on his argument.
“I don’t want to make excuses by linking ridicule with performance. I appreciate fans’ support, and other players feel the same way. However, it was because I felt sorry to hear the booing even before the game began. I didn’t say it seriously at all, but it’s up to the person who accepts it if you want to think so,” he said.
The Red Devil said on its official SNS on the 6th, “Our booing and protest are complaints and jeers against the association, which is consistent with lies, and the coach who has lost his faith,” adding, “I didn’t cheer at any moment ‘hope not to do it’ and ‘hopefully lose.’
As the Red Devils said, no fan is rooting for defeat. Fans who visited the stadium on the day visited purely to cheer for the players despite unfavorable circumstances in the soccer community. This means that they meant so much to the players. 먹튀검증
However, Kim Min-jae turned a blind eye to the fans’ sincerity. Rather, he sprinkled salt on the painful wound. It was a rash act that preceded the emotions of the opposite sex.
Players cannot exist without fans. The same goes for national team players. They should have a broader mindset because they are participating on behalf of the country. Therefore, Kim Min-jae’s remarks were even more regrettable.