Third by All Means

Multi-player was the answer Guus Hiddink, as a newly appointed coach of the Korean team, gave to us. It literally means a player who can play in various positions. Only the multi-players could bring victory, Hiddink firmly asserted. And he found and made many players of that ability. There was one exception.

Yoo Sang-chul (31, Kashiwa Reysol) was a “ready-made.” He had already been renowned for his ability to assume various different positions. He could go everywhere demand needs him: in defense, in the mid-field or even up on the front.

That is why Hiddink would not count Yoo out. He cherished Yoo’s values: his strong physical power, speed and professionalism.

And Yoo perfectly played up to expectations on him in this World Cup. He showed, for example, his instinct of killer in the first match against Poland. He played a forward and mid-fielder. His goal, second one in the game, secured the first ever victory of Korea in its World Cup history.

That was not the end of the story. In the game against Italy on June 18, Hiddink replaced all defenders (i.e. Hong Myung-bo, Kim Nam-il, Kim Tae-young) with forwards, such as Lee Chun-soo, Cha Du-ri and Hwang Sun-hong.

At first he assumed the same position. Later in the mid latter half, Yoo switched his position to that of Kim Nam Il, a mid-fielder assisting defense. When Hong Myung-bo was called out, he successfully made up for Hong’s big role in the “unbreachable” defense line.

Ahn Jung-hwan’s golden goal in the latter half of the overtime might not have come without Yoo’s contribution. Yoo’s performance in multiple positions continued through the quarter-final against Spain and the 25th semi-final match against Germany. He was at the center of the legend of Korea’s World Cup Semi-Final.

Yoo seldom shows his emotions. He speaks always in lower tone. His detail-oriented personality sometimes gets others to think of him a little womanish. But once he puts himself on the ground, he turns into a hyena looking for his preys. That is why he has got a nickname Yoobi, a Chinese historic figure representing a person of outward kindness and strength inside.

Yoo did not get disappointed from losing the semi-final to the German team. He vocalized, “It’s not over yet. We have to win the 3rd position in the World Cup. Only that way, the word “end” means something to me.”

In 1994, Yoo first grabbed the chance to represent his country. By the German match, his experience in A-matches has reached 101 in number, the 5th highest following Choi Sun-ho, Hong Myung-bo and Hwang Sun-hong. That also has earned him a membership at the Century Club, whose membership is given to players of at least 100 A-match participation experiences. He is literally an eternal Tae Kuk Fighter.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com