멕시코를 뜨겁게 달군 ‘캡틴’ 기성용의 24시간: 응원, 분석, 그리고 뜻밖의 조우 > 뉴스

Ki Sung-yong's visit was completely motivated by pure affection for his juniors. He quietly visited the national team's training ground and showed consideration not to distract the players' concentration, and on the day of the game, he cheered enthusiastically from the stands and boosted the team's morale. In particular, he showed a veteran's insight by expressing sharp doubts about the Czech Republic's unusual strategy of entering the high ground right before the game. As he played 110 international matches and experienced all kinds of hardships, he instinctively realized how much of a difference arriving the day before the game would have in adapting to the high altitude. His keen perspective garnered great attention, arousing deep sympathy among local reporters and fans before and after the game.

As the game began, Ki Sung-yueng revealed the mind of a ‘senior’ and the gaze of an ‘analyst’ at the same time. Even though Korea led the game and had an overwhelming trend, he could not stand it and expressed his strong regret on the field when they awkwardly conceded a goal in a throw-in situation in the second half. For him, conceding a goal was not just a change in the score, but it must have been even more unfortunate because it was a moment when the sweat shed by his juniors was in vain. However, he analyzed the cause of the conceded goal and accurately pointed out the weaknesses in the opponent's defensive organization and quickness, and when he succeeded in turning the team around with goals by Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyun-gyu, he smiled brighter than anyone else and enjoyed the joy of victory. His joys and sorrows were an honest reaction that only someone who truly loves soccer could show.

There was also a pleasant episode outside the stadium that made us forget for a moment the tension of the World Cup. Ki Sung-yong took a picture with Karina and Winter from the idol group Espa, whom he met by chance on the spot. Unlike his usual charismatic self, Ki Sung-yong revealed his side as a father who is a fool for his daughter. The sight of him revealing that his daughter was a big fan of Espa and requesting a photo brought a lot of laughter to the viewers. In particular, when this scene became a hot topic on social media, the witty comment left by his wife, Han Hye-jin, elevated this incident from a simple incident to a popular humor code. At the point where his extreme love for his family and the excitement of the World Cup intersect, Ki Sung-yueng once again attracted explosive interest from the public.

Meanwhile, Ki Sung-yong left honest evaluations of his seniors and juniors who are continuing the lineage of Korean soccer through entertainment programs and interviews. When asked about the ranking of soccer players' looks, he chose former legend Ahn Jung-hwan as the most handsome man, but also made a humorous joke saying that he was better than Park Ji-sung, which made people laugh. Even these light remarks became interesting gossip for fans considering his iconic status in Korean soccer. While never forgetting his duty as an active player, he has proven himself to be a seasoned entertainer who knows how to communicate with the public and an icon of Korean soccer who still exerts influence both on and off the field.