"Completely Defeated but Enjoyed It"... Brazil National Team That Enchanted Korea

Many Famous Brazilian Players Including Neymar Participate... Full House at Sangam Stadium
Despite a Large Defeat, Football Fans Say "It Was an Enjoyable Match"
Brazil National Team Shows Excellent Fan Service On and Off the Field

On the afternoon of the 2nd, during the men's national soccer team friendly match between Korea and Brazil held at Seoul World Cup Stadium, Brazil's Neymar is celebrating after scoring his second penalty kick goal.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Wooseok] On the 2nd, South Korean football fans showered praise on the Brazil national football team after their A-match friendly against South Korea.

On that day, the June A-match friendly between South Korea and Brazil took place at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The match attracted football fans' attention as it featured a showdown between Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), the 1992-born English Premier League (EPL) top scorer, and Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain), widely recognized as one of the world's best players. The inclusion of other famous Brazilian players such as Coutinho (Aston Villa), Thiago Silva (Chelsea), and Vinicius (Real Madrid) in the squad also drew attention. As expected, the stadium was packed with about 64,000 spectators.

The match ended with Brazil's overwhelming 5-1 victory. Although the large margin of defeat could have been disappointing, South Korean football fans unanimously expressed that they "enjoyed and were happy" as they recalled the game.

Football fan Mr. Yoo (26), who attended the match, said, "Regardless of who won or lost, it was great to watch such a high-level game," adding, "I was very satisfied because I valued the opportunity to see Son Heung-min and the Brazilian star players play with my own eyes."

In fact, Brazil's starting lineup on the day included many famous players such as Neymar, who had injury concerns during training on the 1st, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Dani Alves (Barcelona), and Richarlison (Everton). Additionally, Casemiro (Real Madrid), who played in the 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League final on the 28th of last month (local time), also started, delighting football fans. Neymar and Richarlison led Brazil's victory by scoring 2 and 1 goals respectively.

On the afternoon of the 2nd, players competed for the ball during the men's national soccer team friendly match between Korea and Brazil held at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

That was not all. In the second half, Vinicius, the scorer of the Champions League final winning goal, entered the match and received enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. Fabinho (Liverpool), who also played in the same final, was substituted in as well.

Coutinho, well-known to Korean fans for his performances at famous clubs like Liverpool and Barcelona, was also brought on as a substitute in the second half and showcased dazzling play, including scoring a goal.

Mr. Kim (26), who came up from the provinces to watch the game, said, "The time and money invested were not wasted at all," adding, "It was amazing to see players I had only seen through the media with my own eyes and watch their play live. It was a happy time."

Earlier, the Brazil national team, excluding some players who participated in the Champions League final, arrived early on the 26th of last month and enjoyed Korean culture by touring places such as Namsan in Seoul and Everland in Yongin. Neymar, in particular, approached Korean fans warmly by posting videos of himself riding amusement rides on his social media.

University student Mr. A said, "My favorability toward Neymar and the Brazilian players has really skyrocketed this time," adding, "It was great to see them having fun at Everland, and their professional and passionate attitude during the match was impressive."

Meanwhile, the Brazil national football team will travel to Japan to face the Japan national football team on the 6th. South Korea will hold a series of A-match friendlies at home against Chile on the 6th, Paraguay on the 10th, and Egypt on the 14th. The match against Egypt is especially anticipated by football fans as it is expected to feature a showdown between Salah (Liverpool), co-top scorer of the EPL, and Son Heung-min.