'25 Years of Experience' Professor Amazed: "Psychological Theory Shattered"... The Untold Story of Lee Ki-hyuk's Stellar Performance in 'Hong Myung-bo's Cinderella' [World Cup On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.

"Veteran" Professor JungShin Ui-hak-gwa (Prof.) was also stunned. It was revealed that behind Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC), who made a surprise start and delivered dazzling performances in this tournament, was the unshakable mental strength unique to the new generation of players that even a 25-year veteran expert found surprising.

On the 14th (local time), representative team mental coach Han Deok-hyun of Chung-Ang University, JungKang Ui-hak-gwa (Prof.), expressed deep admiration for the psychological state of the young players on the Lee Beon (CEO) team during a media interview held at the Chivas Verde Valle training ground in Guadalajara, Mexico.

During the interview that day, Han Deok-hyeon (Prof.) stated, "Actually, before departing from Korea, I was worried because there were quite a few rookie players making their tournament debut. When playing in the first match, they are bound to make unexpected mistakes or develop a rigid mindset due to the immense pressure," he revealed.

However, the mental strength of the young players he actually encountered on-site completely overturned the existing theories in the sports psychiatry field that a professor had accumulated over 25 years. Professor Han said, "I have been in the field of sports psychiatry for about 25 years and have gone through many major tournaments, including the baseball and football national teams. However, surprisingly, these new-generation players seemed to have almost no such pressure."

Continuing, Professor Han explained, "I was so surprised by this that I even emailed my mentor in the United States saying, 'It seems the existing sports psychology theory has collapsed.' Even after conducting interviews, they showed no signs of being intimidated and had the confidence that 'I can play well.'"

This solid mental strength was proven by their perfect performance on the field. Originally classified as a backup resource, Lee Ki-hyuk seized a surprise starting opportunity two days before the match due to an ankle injury to Kim Taehyun (Kashiwa Reysol).

Although concerns were raised about a decline in aerial dominance after Lee Ki-hyuk, a midfielder by origin, established a back three, Lee Ki-hyuk won no fewer than four aerial ball duels, neutralizing Czech Republic's high-ball attacks. Furthermore, he utilized his specialty, sharp long passes, four times, delivering incisive through passes targeting Son Heung-min in the front line, sending shivers down the spines of the Czech team.

Even in the face of mistakes that occurred during the match and the pressure of actual gameplay, Lee Ki-hyuk's broad-minded mental strength shone. In a mixed-zone interview after the match, Lee Ki-hyuk showed a calm attitude, stating, "I wasn't as nervous as I thought. When a mistake happened, I thought that if I showed a weak psychological side, Czech Republic would dig in more tenaciously, so I quickly forgot it and only thought about how to make up for it."

Han Deok-hyeon (Prof.) also praised the young players' bold demeanor, saying, "As expected, they came out well-prepared both physically and mentally, unlike rookies and unlike their first match. I am very proud of them," sparing no praise.

Finally, Professor Han emphasized, "Before departing from Korea, I gathered with the players and staff and dared to say in front of them, 'This team will definitely succeed.' The confidence the players have, along with the solid mental strength of promising players including Lee Ki-hyuk, will be the most powerful weapon in the upcoming match against Mexico."

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*This content was translated by AI.