Kim Min-jae 'explodes,' Hwang In-beom 'on the verge of tears'... The center midfielder's body and mind both collapse, pleading "There is no one to help" with a sense of powerlessness [Ulsan on-site report]

*This content was translated by AI.

How frustrated must one be to tearfully plead, "There is no one to help"? Hwang In-beom (30), the commander of South Korea's midfield, expressed a sense of powerlessness regarding the national football team.

The South Korean men's national football team, led by interim head coach Roberto Moreno, drew 0-0 without scoring in their third match of the four-game series of the "September-October Hana Bank Invitational National Football Team Friendly Matches" against Venezuela at Ulsan Munsu World Cup Stadium on the 2nd.

The "all-out attack" that head coach Moreno had previewed was nowhere to be seen. In the first half, the team was stifled by the opponent's pressure and could not even find passing lanes, managing only their first shot just before halftime. In the second half, Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in struggled valiantly to mount a counterattack, but the scoring remained silent.

Hwang In-beom, who had missed the matches against Ecuador (3-0 win) and Uruguay (1-4 loss) due to calf issues, secured his first appearance of the tournament on this day. Starting as a central midfielder, Hwang played for 80 minutes until being substituted in the 35th minute of the second half, but failed to produce a victory.

After the match, Hwang In-beom appeared in the joint interview area (mixed zone) with a somber expression and said, "It was a match we wanted to win, so it is very disappointing that we could not." He added, "Due to a lack of training volume, conditions were not easy for playing a match, but fortunately my muscles held up well, allowing me to play more than expected." He concluded, "We will prepare well for the final remaining match and show a good team performance."

Following today's match, defender Kim Min-jae made a deliberate statement in a broadcast interview, saying, "Everyone is not defending or competing together; it has reached a point where defenders are pitiful. We must play as one team, not individuals, with our heads down and giving it our all."

Hwang In-beom fully agreed with his teammate's harsh criticism. Hwang said, "Of course, that is an area that should be done well. Today the defenders really did a good job, so (Kim) Min-jae must have been very frustrated." He added, "Players in the front line, including myself, need to strive even harder."

However, the real crisis Hwang In-beom felt lay off the pitch. In his ninth year as a national team player, he revealed, "Not only in football terms, but there are many things that need to change externally, and it seems they are not being done well, making both my body and mind exhausted." He continued, "South Korean football needs to develop, but it seems unable to do so, which makes me feel a great sense of responsibility."

In particular, he pointed out the administrative vacuum at the Korea Football Association. When asked, "What help does the team need?", he confessed, "First of all, there is no one available to provide help. The president is absent, and the head coach is in an interim system, so it is not easy for players in a situation where the future is unknown."

He continued, "There are clearly many visible problems, but there is no one to step forward. Inside the field, we will certainly do our part, but regarding external aspects, I have also failed to find an answer," expressing his sense of powerlessness. He added, "If I say this, various comments may arise again, but it is a fact that I am frustrated," and was seen on the verge of tears.

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*This content was translated by AI.