A heartwarming scene unfolded as two foreign coaches exchanged words of encouragement, with one saying, "Thank you so much" to the other, who gifted "the most famous wine from Portugal." [Paju Field Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

A heartwarming moment occurred during the matchup between foreign coaches in K League 2. Luis Quinta, head coach of Cheongju, presented a bottle of premium wine. Gerard Nuss, head coach of Paju Frontier, expressed his gratitude.

Cheongju drew 0-0 in an away match against Paju at Paju Stadium on the 3rd in the 10th round of the Hana Bank K League 2 2026 season. As a result, Cheongju failed to secure its first win of the season, sitting in 13th place in the league with 8 draws and 2 losses (8 points). Desperate for a victory, Cheongju launched 8 shots to threaten the opponent, but no goal was scored.

Paju, which had suffered a shocking comeback defeat in its previous match against Gyeongnam FC, also needed a win. Before the game, Coach Gerard emphasized, "We always aim to win," and added, "Winning this match is our goal." However, Paju managed only its first draw of the season. The team currently holds 4 wins, 1 draw, and 5 losses (13 points), placing 8th in the league.

Even in the harsh world of competition, there was a warm moment. Coaches Quinta and Gerard met before the match and encouraged each other. In particular, Coach Quinta presented Coach Gerard with a surprise gift: a bottle of premium wine.

After the match, Coach Quinta said, "I formed a good relationship with Coach Gerard from the moment we first met. We have stayed in touch since then. While I haven't been able to get along with other domestic coaches due to communication issues, I am communicating with Coach Gerard as a fellow foreign coach. Since this was our first meeting, I gifted him the most famous wine from Portugal."

The gift carried deep meaning. Coach Quinta explained, "Being a coach is a profession filled with thoughts and challenges. I gave this wine so that he could clear his mind and spend good times while drinking it alone."

Gerard Nuss expressed his gratitude. Regarding Coach Quinta's wine gift, Coach Gerard said, "It's wonderful that such gestures can improve and strengthen the relationships among coaches. I want to officially express my deep gratitude to Coach Quinta."

Coach Quinta is the first foreign coach in Cheongju's history. He has an impressive coaching career. He served as a senior coach at Flamengo, a prestigious Brazilian club, and FC Porto, a top-tier club in the Portuguese league. Notably, during his tenure as senior coach at FC Porto, he contributed to back-to-back league titles in the 2011–2013 seasons and two Super Cup victories.

Coach Gerard, known as "Paju's first foreign coach," is Spanish. He previously worked as a youth coach at Liverpool in England and served as a senior coach for the Greece national team from 2022 to 2024. He also gained experience in the K League as a coach at Jeonnam Dragons.

The two coaches, living away from their home countries, encouraged and motivated each other. According to a Paju club official, the Paju club also expressed its appreciation for Coach Quinta's consideration by gifting him soju. Coach Quinta said, "After the match, I heard that the Paju club gave me a gift. I am very grateful."

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*This content was translated by AI.