'First in Korean National Team' Mental Coach, Hong Myung-bo's Team Success Confidence: "This Team Will Succeed"... The Reason [World Cup On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korean national team has a previously unseen "hidden hero." Behind the rising momentum of Hong Myung-bo's team lies a sophisticated mental care system introduced for the first time in a World Cup national team.

Chief physician Song Jun-seop (Dr.) and mental coach Han Deok-hyun Chung-Ang University JungKang Ui-hak-gwa (Prof.) attended an interview held on the morning of the 14th (local time) at the Chivas Verde Valle training ground in Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico.

Known as the "Unsung Heroes" of this tournament, Song Jun-seop (Dr.) and Han Deok-hyeon (Prof.) revealed the newly introduced collaborative process between the mandatory team and the mental coaching staff, as well as the psychological backstory behind the comeback victory against the Czech Republic.

Explaining the background of hiring a psychiatrist as a mental coach for the first time in a World Cup national team, chief physician Song Jun-seop stated, "The stress players endure due to internal competition and immense pressure leads to weakened immunity and frequent minor illnesses. Under the principle that a healthy mind ensures a healthy body, we were able to welcome Han Deok-hyeon (Prof.), an authority in sports psychology and psychiatry."

Describing his daily routine, mental coach Han Deok-hyun said, "In the morning, I observe and analyze players' gestures and movements off the pitch to create analysis data. In the afternoon, I conduct intensive one-on-one interviews with 4 to 5 players daily based on that data. In the evening, I participate in coaching staff meetings to match the mental data I have gathered with the coach's tactics."

The current psychological state of the squad, as evaluated by Professor Han, can be summarized in a single word: "stable." Professor Han added, "They are not intoxicated by the first victory nor arrogant; they are calmly focused on how to adjust for the second match."

Professor Han particularly emphasized the confidence he expressed to the squad before departing from Korea. He stated, "I have been practicing sports psychiatry for about 25 years. I have worked with many national teams over the years, but this time, I dared to say in front of the players and staff, 'This is a team that will definitely succeed.' This is because, regardless of how outsiders doubt or view our team, I have clearly witnessed with my own eyes the process of being perfectly prepared both administratively and psychologically over the past year."

The fact that they overturned the match despite conceding the first goal during the Czech Republic game was also possible due to pre-calculated psychological countermeasures. Professor Han conveyed, "The national team had already built tactical and psychological scenarios for every situation, not only when leading but also when drawing or trailing."

The consistent instruction Professor Han emphasized to the players ahead of the tournament was "just do what you do." Professor Han explained, "He urged them not to feel excessive pressure or try to add something special just because it is the big stage of the World Cup, but to perform the agreed-upon tactics and individual duties on the pitch exactly as they have done over the past year. This psychological core manifested directly in actual play, forming the foundation of the comeback victory."

Although the second match against host nation Mexico is expected to feature one-sided home-field advantage and noise, the players showed a calm reaction. When asked by Professor Han about spectator pressure, the players reportedly responded, "We have already experienced greater spectator pressure on European stages. As long as practical elements like the grass condition and ball elasticity are right, we will not be greatly affected by external environments."

Furthermore, playing consecutive matches in the exact same stadium as the first game is an element that provides high stability for players from a sports psychology perspective.

Finally, ahead of the second match against Mexico, Professor Han emphasized, "Mexico is also a team that is truly well-prepared, not only in skill but also psychologically. We will also proceed with the match as we have prepared, just doing what we do."

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*This content was translated by AI.