The second chapter of Baek Seung-ho’s (26, Jeonbuk Hyundai) career as a player has begun.
Baek Seung-ho, who served as captain of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games soccer team, led the team to victory with a completely different level of skill.
He hinted at his unusual condition with a fantastic free kick goal in the first group match against Kuwait, and also hit the net with an exciting mid-range shot in the third match against Bahrain. In the round of 16, he signaled a major victory by calmly scoring a penalty kick against Kyrgyzstan.
His leadership received as much attention as his skills. Baek Seung-ho boosted the team’s morale so that they could not lose focus in each game, and even gave them tactical instructions, acting as a coach on the pitch. Even off the field, he played a leading role by exchanging tactics with his teammates throughout the competition.
Baek Seung-ho, who won the gold medal, has had a tumultuous career. As a child, he was highly anticipated by soccer fans as a youth player at FC Barcelona (Spain), but his career was put on hold due to his inability to establish himself. Afterwards, he continued his European challenge through Girona ~ Ferrada (Spain) ~ Darmstadt (Germany), but failed to produce any significant results.안전놀이터
Time did not wait. In the end, Baek Seung-ho decided to return to Korea in 2021 and wore the Jeonbuk uniform. This was due to practical issues such as ensuring his playing time and military service. However, he did not rush and focused on the present. Since his first season at Jeonbuk, he has appeared in 33 league games and established himself as the core of the midfield, quietly fulfilling his role by improving his performance. Afterwards, he participated in the 2022 Qatar World Cup under coach Paulo Bento and made his presence known with a refreshing mid-range goal in the round of 16 against Brazil. This year, he was called by coach Hwang Seon-hong ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games.
I was even more desperate for the Hangzhou Asian Games because it could be my ‘last chance.’ Baek Seung-ho suffered a hamstring injury while preparing for the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. And he was selected as a wild card (player over the standard age) and got a second chance in Hangzhou. Before the competition, he said, “I wondered if I would be given another opportunity, but it came quite unexpectedly. “He must deliver results unconditionally,” he said, expressing his earnest will.
The moment the gold medal was confirmed, Baek Seung-ho cried. It was catharsis for him to shed the burden of being a wild card and captain all at once, and tears of joy for having created an inflection point in his career. “I learned so much in Europe. He said, “It is every player’s dream to play in Europe,” and now he is trying to fulfill his unfulfilled dream on a bigger stage.