Unexpected Equalizing Goal Assist in Korea-Japan Match 'Performance'
Mocking Gratitude Amid Resentment from 3-Year-Old 'No-Show' Controversy
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (unaffiliated), who was disliked by Korean fans due to the 'no-show' controversy in Korea, is unexpectedly receiving cheers. This is because he played a significant role in South Korea's advancement to the Round of 16 in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Korean netizens are sarcastically expressing their gratitude by photoshopping Ronaldo wearing the Bento team's uniform or creating a synthetic resident registration card of Ronaldo, saying that thanks to his help, Korea was able to advance to the Round of 16.
The South Korean national football team, led by coach Paulo Bento, won 2-1 against Portugal in the last third match of Group H in the Qatar World Cup group stage, held on the morning of the 3rd (Korean time) at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.
After drawing 0-0 with Uruguay in the first match and losing 2-3 to Ghana, South Korea ended with 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss (4 points, 4 goals scored, 4 goals conceded), ranking second in Group H behind Portugal (2 wins, 1 loss), thus advancing to the Round of 16 where the top two teams from each group compete.
The heroes of this match were the national team players including Kim Young-gwon (Ulsan), who scored the opening goal, and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), who scored the dramatic winning goal, but Ronaldo also contributed significantly.
In the 27th minute of the first half, when South Korea was trailing 0-1, a corner kick taken with the left foot by Lee Kang-in (Mallorca) from the left side hit Ronaldo's back and fell in front of the goal.
Kim Young-gwon, who was in the penalty area, fell and shot a left-footed volley that opened the Portuguese goal.
In the 42nd minute of the first half, Kim Seung-gyu saved a mid-range shot by Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), and the ball bounced out to Ronaldo.
Without hesitation, Ronaldo dived and connected with a diving header shot.
However, whether he missed the aim completely or not, there was no one between Ronaldo and Kim Seung-gyu in front of the goal, but the shot flew rapidly in a direction far from the goalpost.
It resembled a defender hurriedly clearing the ball from a dangerous area.
In fact, thanks to Ronaldo alone, the Bento team scored two goals in the first half.
Without the 'back assist,' Kim Young-gwon's goal would have been difficult to come by, and the diving header shot was a very high-probability chance for a typical striker to score.
On the morning of the 3rd (Korean time) at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, the third match of Group H in the 2022 Qatar World Cup between South Korea and Portugal took place. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, who was being substituted out, is having an argument with South Korean player Cho Gyu-seong. Ronaldo has a complicated history with Korea.
In July 2019, during a friendly match held in Seoul between the K League All-Star team and the Italian prestigious club Juventus, Ronaldo, who was highly anticipated at the time as a Juventus player, disappointed many by sitting on the bench and not playing even for a minute.
With about 60,000 spectators in attendance, the Juventus team arrived at the stadium past the scheduled kickoff time, delaying the match by nearly an hour, and when the 'Ronaldo no-show' occurred, fans' anger boiled over.
The coined term 'Nalkangdu,' a blend of 'robber' and 'Ronaldo,' emerged as domestic public opinion worsened.
Meeting Korean football fans again at the World Cup after more than three years, Ronaldo became the center of attention in a different sense.
When Ronaldo showed a 'non-performance' in the match against Korea, Korean netizens expressed sarcastic gratitude toward him.
The nickname 'Nalkangdu' changed to 'Hanbando,' a new term combining 'Hanbando' (Korean Peninsula) and 'Ronaldo.'
He is even treated as an 'honorary Korean' with a photoshopped resident registration card bearing the three letters of 'Ronaldo.'
Ronaldo, who showed no remarkable performance that day, was substituted in the 20th minute of the second half. During this process, he had a verbal spat with Cho Gyu-sung (Jeonbuk).
According to Portuguese media reports and coach Fernando Santos' comments, when Cho Gyu-sung urged Ronaldo to leave the field quickly, Ronaldo responded by putting his index finger to his lips, signaling 'be quiet.'
Cho Gyu-sung half-jokingly said in a post-match interview, "Ronaldo is Nalkangdu."
Meanwhile, foreign media are also paying attention to the complicated relationship between Ronaldo and Korea.
Japan's Tokyo Sports, citing Korean media reports, explained, "Korea took revenge on Portugal's ace Cristiano Ronaldo," and "Ronaldo received much criticism from Korean fans for the 'no-show' when he visited Korea in 2019 while playing for Juventus and did not participate in the match."
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