Korea, the most popular team at the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, entered Doha, Qatar, with a warm welcome from fans. The national soccer team, led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, entered Doha on the afternoon of the 10th (local time) through Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.
More than 100 fans of various nationalities, including South Korea, the Philippines, Egypt, Palestine, and Vietnam, visited Hamad International Airport to welcome the Klinsman. The fans blew up the Klinsman, which is trying to win for the first time in 64 years with Taegeukgi, uniforms and gifts from the players they cheer for.
“Many teams have arrived in the country so far, and I’ve never seen such a large crowd of fans gathering like this,” said an official at the organizing committee. “I like the Korean team, too. I’m especially a fan of Son Heung-min.”
“I am a fan of Tottenham and a fan of Son Heung-min. Korea is a team that can win the Asian Cup,” Joseph from Palestine, who is studying in Doha, said, holding a uniform with Son’s name on it. 경마
Jamie from the Philippines, who visited the airport wearing the Korean national flag, said, “I was impressed when I saw the Korean game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. I have kept the Korean national flag that I received as a gift until now. I hope Korea will perform well.”
Team Korea left the airport with bright faces, with Hwang Hee-chan, Kim Min-jae, and Kim Seung-gyu at the forefront. Some players, including Kim Jin-su, Hwang Hee-chan, and Kim Min-jae, responded to fans’ requests for autographs, while Cho Kyu-sung and Lee Jae-sung responded to the fans’ cheers by waving their hands. Captain Son Heung-min and Klinsmann also thanked the fans by smiling at them.
The Korean national team will immediately go to their accommodation to rest and hold its first training session in Doha at 10 a.m. on the 11th local time, and begin to quench the Asian Cup title.
The Korean national soccer team called some overseas players who had a break from April 26 and K-League players who had finished the 2023 season at a hotel in Seoul and began training. When the team was called up in Korea, they mostly stayed indoors and had team meetings.
After that, he moved to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he was trained on the 3rd. Captain Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Oh Hyun-kyu, Yang Hyun-joon, Hong Hyun-suk, Kim Seung-kyu and Park Yong-woo joined the team.
Lee Kang-in, who lifted the trophy in the French Super Cup (Trope de Champion), joined the national team at the end of the 5th, and the Clinsman team formed the whole body.
The national team, which gathered all 26 players, played a final warm-up match against Iraq in Abu Dhabi on the 6th, winning 1-0 with Lee Jae-sung’s winning goal. Manager Klinsmann checked his condition by using various players, including Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae in the second half.
South Korea, which entered Qatar with hospitality, will play its first Group E match against Bahrain at 8:30 p.m. on the 15th (Korea time).