Park Ji-sung Is Best

Sweats and pains without arrogance will reward you some day.

Korean soccer fans have selected Park Ji-sung, Seol Gi-hyun and Song Jong-gook as the three players who will honor Korea in 2003. Best Eleven, a monthly soccer magazine, has conducted a opinion poll over the Internet from December 7 to December 20. In the poll, people were asked, "Which player do you think will honor Korea in 2003?" Park ranked first with 27.6% of the votes, reported Best Eleven yesterday. Then, Seol and Song ranked just below Park with 20.1% and 19.9%, respectively.

What these three star players have in common is diligence and steadiness. They do not think about things other than soccer itself, playing a role model for other pro soccer players.

Guus Hiddink (PSV Eindhoven) has persuaded Park into joining his team. Thus, Park will move over to Netherlands next year. His diligence has earned him a nickname "Diligent Guy." He is a multiplayer who can take any position. Nonetheless, he has never fooled around. It was Park who led the Korean national team to the semifinal in the last World Cup with his game-winning goal in a game against Portugal. He has emerged as a World Cup star, getting all the attentions. But he has never derailed from where he has to be. Putting all the highlights behind that had showered on him after the World Cup, he went back to his Japanese team, and led his team Kyoto to the 5th place in the J League this year. He also contributed to his team`s winning of the Emperor`s Cup. Right after the first final next year is over, he will join Eindhoven, which is led by coach Hiddink.

Seol is building up his career in Belgium, which is, for now, outside the mainstream of the European soccer. He has intended to jump from the Belgian league to a bigger league in Europe, which is just around the corner to realization. The British Premier League is eyeing him.

Song, brushing off the pride of Korean World Cup star, went over to Netherlands, and has drummed up a Korean vogue, rearing his dream of a "big leaguer."

Soccer fans love to see the results of their sweats and pains. That is why fans consider them as the three players who would honor Korea.

Ranked following them are Ahn Jung-hwan (12.8%), Chung Cho-gook (4.9%), Kim Dong-hyun (4.1%), Kim Nam-il (4.0%), Kim Dae-ui (3.4%) and Lee Chun-soo (3.2%).

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com