'Why is this player a core member of the national team?' He shattered harsh criticism with flying colors... Hong Myung-bo's 'irreplaceable ace' perfectly proven [Live from Guadalajara]

*This content was translated by AI.

Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), the midfield commander of the South Korean national football team, has proven why he is an irreplaceable core of the national team. It was a perfect performance that completely silenced some of the harsh criticism that had been directed at him.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, overcame an early second-half goal against the Czech Republic in the first match of Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America and the Caribbean, held at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico, at 11 a.m. on the 12th (Korea time). With Hwang In-beom's equalizing goal and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas)'s go-ahead goal, they secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory.

He has served as the crown prince and key player of the Hwang In-beom-eun (CEO) team since the days of former coach Paulo Bento.

However, the position Hwang In-beom has occupied has frequently been the subject of harsh criticism. Due to the nature of his role in the midfield, which requires constantly making adventurous forward passes, he had to bear the brunt of criticism whenever he made passing mistakes in the less polished past. He silently endured what was perhaps an unavoidable position of criticism, one where he had to take the risk of immediate scoring opportunities while opening up the team's attack lines.

However, Hwang In-beom did not waver and continued to grow. As time passed, his playmaking became more seasoned, and accuracy was added to it. Maintaining his unique, immense work rate at the world's highest level, he has now evolved into a complete midfielder equipped with the sophistication to skillfully control the game.

The match against the Czech Republic was a stage that showed Hwang In-beom's evolution had reached its peak. Throughout the game, his organic movements constantly sought out space, shaking up the Czech midfield, and when the team faced a crisis, he stepped forward as the direct problem-solver.

The highlight was a fantastic equalizing goal. In the 22nd minute of the second half, Hwang In-beom skillfully slipped into the space between the central and side defenders, receiving Lee Kang-in's (Paris Saint-Germain) precise pass. Facing the goalkeeper one-on-one, he perfectly deceived both the opposing defender and the goalkeeper with a calm feint, then scored the precious equalizing goal with a sensory right-footed chip shot.

Hwang In-beom's performance did not end there. In the 35th minute of the second half, he quickly rushed to the side by finding an open space, then delivered a cross with a quick transition to assist Oh Hyeon-gyu's go-ahead winning goal. He single-handedly orchestrated South Korea's 2-1 comeback with one goal and one assist.

One goal and one assist in the match against the Czech Republic is a historic record in Korean football history. Hwang In-beom became the third player in South Korean World Cup finals history to record one goal and one assist in a single match, following Choi Soon-ho's feat against Italy in 1986 and coach Hong Myung-bo's against Spain in 1994.

Hwang In-beom, the hero of the thrilling comeback, smiled and said, "Actually, I am not a player who is used to facing one-on-one opportunities with the goalkeeper," then explained, "I penetrated because there was space, and Lee Kang-in made a great pass. I judged that the goalkeeper was too tall and the angle was too narrow to shoot in one go, so I tried to create space by feinting once, and fortunately, it seems I deceived them."

Hwang In-beom further added, "It is unbelievable yet proud to be able to score such a goal on the World Cup stage," expressing his overwhelming feelings.

He also showed a calm attitude regarding the burden of mixed expectations and criticism from those around him. Hwang In-beom countered, "I feel no burden at all. If I felt burdened, wouldn't players like (Son) Heung-min, (Lee) Kang-in, and (Kim) Min-jae have to stop playing football due to pressure?" He continued, "I think a football player is someone who can always show both good and bad moments on the field. I was able to overcome the burden because my teammates around me helped me a lot to utilize my strengths."

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*This content was translated by AI.