World Cup history is more fun when you know it
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Description
Book Introduction
Are you ready to enjoy the World Cup?
A century of World Cup history, presented with fun and culture.
The story of South Korea's World Cup challenge, written with laughter and tears.
Everything about World Cup history that's even more fun when you know it.
Son Heung-min's 70-meter sprint created the 'Miracle of Doha' of 2022.
Most people probably felt their hair stand on end and their spines tingle when they saw this scene.
It is a moving experience created by the combination of patriotism and the popularity of soccer.
Next year, we will witness spectacular scenes from this unscripted drama.
2026 North and Central America World Cup.
Since our country first participated in the 1954 Swiss World Cup, we have experienced both glory and frustration in the World Cup, including the record of 11 consecutive appearances since the Mexico World Cup and the legendary achievement of reaching the semifinals of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
This great game of great passion, the World Cup, drives us crazy.
It doesn't matter if it's a famous banquet or a grand dinner.
The World Cup is a war where each team fights for the honor of their country, and it is also a magician that draws in crowds.
This book, "World Cup History: More Fun to Know," invites readers into the breathtaking world of the World Cup, where they will laugh and cry.
From the birth of the World Cup to the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, the 100-year history of the World Cup and the challenges of the Korean Taegeuk Warriors are contained in 36 episodes.
Additionally, you can find various World Cup records in the appendix, including the World Cup Best 11 selected by author Han Ji-yong.
This book, packed with knowledge and culture that will enrich your World Cup experience, is all you need to prepare for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.
A century of World Cup history, presented with fun and culture.
The story of South Korea's World Cup challenge, written with laughter and tears.
Everything about World Cup history that's even more fun when you know it.
Son Heung-min's 70-meter sprint created the 'Miracle of Doha' of 2022.
Most people probably felt their hair stand on end and their spines tingle when they saw this scene.
It is a moving experience created by the combination of patriotism and the popularity of soccer.
Next year, we will witness spectacular scenes from this unscripted drama.
2026 North and Central America World Cup.
Since our country first participated in the 1954 Swiss World Cup, we have experienced both glory and frustration in the World Cup, including the record of 11 consecutive appearances since the Mexico World Cup and the legendary achievement of reaching the semifinals of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
This great game of great passion, the World Cup, drives us crazy.
It doesn't matter if it's a famous banquet or a grand dinner.
The World Cup is a war where each team fights for the honor of their country, and it is also a magician that draws in crowds.
This book, "World Cup History: More Fun to Know," invites readers into the breathtaking world of the World Cup, where they will laugh and cry.
From the birth of the World Cup to the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, the 100-year history of the World Cup and the challenges of the Korean Taegeuk Warriors are contained in 36 episodes.
Additionally, you can find various World Cup records in the appendix, including the World Cup Best 11 selected by author Han Ji-yong.
This book, packed with knowledge and culture that will enrich your World Cup experience, is all you need to prepare for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Author's Note 5
PART 1: How Much Do You Know About the History of the World Cup?
Ep.
01 Jules Rimet's Dream, the Birth of the World Cup 17
Ep.
02 Inaugural World Cup, Uruguay achieved a 'three-peat major title' 24
Ep.
03 The Azzurri Legion, "Victory or Death!" 29
Ep.
04 Suicide because of soccer? The Maracanã Tragedy 36
Ep.
05 'The Ball is Round': The Miracle of Bern 42
Ep.
06 The Emperor of Soccer, Pele's Descent 48
Ep.
07 The "Limp" Garrincha, who shocked the world 53
Ep.
08 Did you actually cross the goal line? 58 Controversial Wins in "Soccer's End"
Ep.
09 Pele, the Emperor of Soccer, Coronation 63
Ep.
10th Century Rivals Face Off in World Cup Final 69
Ep.
The Worst World Cup in History: 75 Under Military Dictatorship
Ep.
12 'Cinderella' Paolo Rossi, from traitor to hero, 81
Ep.
13 88 of Maradona, by Maradona, for Maradona
Ep.
14 Matheus, the greatest defensive midfielder of all time 95
Ep.
15 The Ill-Fated Fantasy Star, Roberto Baggio 102
Ep.
16. A God-given talent, a body that couldn't handle it. Ronaldo 109
Ep.
17 Ronaldo, the best striker in World Cup history 116
Ep.
18 Why did Zidane headbutt in the World Cup final? 122
Ep.
19 Spain's "Tiki-Taka" Takes Over the World 130
Ep.
20 The Tragedy of Mineirão: A Shocking 7-1 Ratio, "Again 1950?" 136
Ep.
21 The Miracle of Kazan, the Fall of the Tank Corps 143
Ep.
22 Mbappé, the Second Coming of the Emperor of Football 150
Ep.
23 Messi, the 'god of soccer', bows his head 156
Ep.
24 Soccer's 'Messiah' Rises to the Top 162
PART 2: The Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup Challenge
Overcoming the pain of war, first appearance 175
High World Wall 176
177th World Cup qualification after 32 years
First World Cup goal and first points: 178
Cha Bum-kun, a complete transformation from hero to traitor
Concerns as a World Cup Host 183
Hiddink Appointed as First Foreign Manager
First World Cup win 185
Song Jong-guk, Erasing the World's Best 186
Defeated the Azzurri and advanced to the quarterfinals. 188
Defeating the Invincible Fleet and advancing to the semifinals 189
Dreams Come True 190
The Meaning of the Myth of the Semifinals 192
Park Ji-sung, the father of Korean soccer, 193
Captain Park, a pillar of Korean soccer 195
197 goals in 3 consecutive tournaments
The turning point in Korean football: The Miracle of Kazan 198
Qatar, Another Miracle 201
Savior Lee Kang-in and Hero Jo Kyu-seong 202
Miracle of Doha 204
A satisfying ending 206
Road To North America 206
Appendix One Author's Award
01 Great Record I (Country) 211
02 Great Record II (Player) 214
03 One writer's pick for the best 11 in World Cup history 217
04 Why is soccer called war? 224
05 Escobar shooting incident 229
Top 5 Worst Brawls of the 2006 World Cup (234)
07 List of World Cup Host Cities 239
Photo source: 241
PART 1: How Much Do You Know About the History of the World Cup?
Ep.
01 Jules Rimet's Dream, the Birth of the World Cup 17
Ep.
02 Inaugural World Cup, Uruguay achieved a 'three-peat major title' 24
Ep.
03 The Azzurri Legion, "Victory or Death!" 29
Ep.
04 Suicide because of soccer? The Maracanã Tragedy 36
Ep.
05 'The Ball is Round': The Miracle of Bern 42
Ep.
06 The Emperor of Soccer, Pele's Descent 48
Ep.
07 The "Limp" Garrincha, who shocked the world 53
Ep.
08 Did you actually cross the goal line? 58 Controversial Wins in "Soccer's End"
Ep.
09 Pele, the Emperor of Soccer, Coronation 63
Ep.
10th Century Rivals Face Off in World Cup Final 69
Ep.
The Worst World Cup in History: 75 Under Military Dictatorship
Ep.
12 'Cinderella' Paolo Rossi, from traitor to hero, 81
Ep.
13 88 of Maradona, by Maradona, for Maradona
Ep.
14 Matheus, the greatest defensive midfielder of all time 95
Ep.
15 The Ill-Fated Fantasy Star, Roberto Baggio 102
Ep.
16. A God-given talent, a body that couldn't handle it. Ronaldo 109
Ep.
17 Ronaldo, the best striker in World Cup history 116
Ep.
18 Why did Zidane headbutt in the World Cup final? 122
Ep.
19 Spain's "Tiki-Taka" Takes Over the World 130
Ep.
20 The Tragedy of Mineirão: A Shocking 7-1 Ratio, "Again 1950?" 136
Ep.
21 The Miracle of Kazan, the Fall of the Tank Corps 143
Ep.
22 Mbappé, the Second Coming of the Emperor of Football 150
Ep.
23 Messi, the 'god of soccer', bows his head 156
Ep.
24 Soccer's 'Messiah' Rises to the Top 162
PART 2: The Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup Challenge
Overcoming the pain of war, first appearance 175
High World Wall 176
177th World Cup qualification after 32 years
First World Cup goal and first points: 178
Cha Bum-kun, a complete transformation from hero to traitor
Concerns as a World Cup Host 183
Hiddink Appointed as First Foreign Manager
First World Cup win 185
Song Jong-guk, Erasing the World's Best 186
Defeated the Azzurri and advanced to the quarterfinals. 188
Defeating the Invincible Fleet and advancing to the semifinals 189
Dreams Come True 190
The Meaning of the Myth of the Semifinals 192
Park Ji-sung, the father of Korean soccer, 193
Captain Park, a pillar of Korean soccer 195
197 goals in 3 consecutive tournaments
The turning point in Korean football: The Miracle of Kazan 198
Qatar, Another Miracle 201
Savior Lee Kang-in and Hero Jo Kyu-seong 202
Miracle of Doha 204
A satisfying ending 206
Road To North America 206
Appendix One Author's Award
01 Great Record I (Country) 211
02 Great Record II (Player) 214
03 One writer's pick for the best 11 in World Cup history 217
04 Why is soccer called war? 224
05 Escobar shooting incident 229
Top 5 Worst Brawls of the 2006 World Cup (234)
07 List of World Cup Host Cities 239
Photo source: 241
Into the book
The IOC struck first.
They drew the line, saying that professional athletes cannot participate in the Olympics.
Then FIFA questioned, “Can a tournament without the best players really be called the best tournament?”
In addition, the United States, the host country of the 1932 LA Olympics, had little interest in soccer, making it uncertain whether it would even be adopted as an official event.
--- p.19
The referee said he would only proceed with the match if his own safety was assured.
The association had prepared an escape boat near the port of Montevideo for the referee's safety, and only after confirming this did the referee allow the match to proceed.
It was delayed by two hours.
--- p.26
The aftermath of Brazil's defeat was truly enormous.
Immediately after the match, two Brazilians committed suicide and two died on the pitch from cardiac arrest.
Outside the stadium, the chaos was even worse. Around 50 fans watching the game on TV committed suicide or died from heart attacks.
This is an example of how much shock Brazil received at the time, with over 50 people dying over a simple ball game.
--- p.40
If you ask whether Ronaldo is the best striker of all time, it is difficult to answer with certainty.
Because there are so many star-like players.
But I am confident that he is the best striker of all time at the World Cup.
The World Cup scoring record is a whopping 15 goals.
Although he lost the top scorer record (16 goals) to Germany's Miroslav Klose in 2014, he achieved everything he could on the World Cup stage.
--- p.121
The journey of a star who represented a generation and won the World Cup is more moving than any movie or story in the world.
Because there is no one who does not know the sweat and tears he shed for this.
Messi, who has given such wonderful emotions and lingering impressions to people all over the world, may be the greatest soccer player of all time, or perhaps the greatest sports star in history.
--- p.171
The preliminary round, which was the first-ever Korea-Japan match in history, was played in a home-and-away format.
However, President Syngman Rhee did not permit the Japanese team to enter the country.
So both games had to be played in Japan.
The match results were 5-1 in the first game and 2-2 in the second game.
We qualified.
--- p.175
Who is the greatest player in Korean football history? Everyone has their own opinion: Cha Bum-kun, who dominated European football in the 1980s, Son Heung-min, the Premier League's top scorer, and Park Ji-sung, the "father of international football."
However, if you ask who is the most outstanding player on the national team, you cannot help but choose Park Ji-sung, the star of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup semi-finals.
--- p.193
The national team's strength surpasses that of 2022.
In particular, Son Heung-min chose LA FC as his new team to adapt and show his best condition for the 2026 North and Central American World Cup.
Additionally, veterans such as Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and midfielders Lee Jae-seong and Hwang In-beom are forming the core of the team.
The growth of the younger generation, including rookie striker Oh Hyun-kyu and gifted midfielder Lee Kang-in, is also noteworthy.
They drew the line, saying that professional athletes cannot participate in the Olympics.
Then FIFA questioned, “Can a tournament without the best players really be called the best tournament?”
In addition, the United States, the host country of the 1932 LA Olympics, had little interest in soccer, making it uncertain whether it would even be adopted as an official event.
--- p.19
The referee said he would only proceed with the match if his own safety was assured.
The association had prepared an escape boat near the port of Montevideo for the referee's safety, and only after confirming this did the referee allow the match to proceed.
It was delayed by two hours.
--- p.26
The aftermath of Brazil's defeat was truly enormous.
Immediately after the match, two Brazilians committed suicide and two died on the pitch from cardiac arrest.
Outside the stadium, the chaos was even worse. Around 50 fans watching the game on TV committed suicide or died from heart attacks.
This is an example of how much shock Brazil received at the time, with over 50 people dying over a simple ball game.
--- p.40
If you ask whether Ronaldo is the best striker of all time, it is difficult to answer with certainty.
Because there are so many star-like players.
But I am confident that he is the best striker of all time at the World Cup.
The World Cup scoring record is a whopping 15 goals.
Although he lost the top scorer record (16 goals) to Germany's Miroslav Klose in 2014, he achieved everything he could on the World Cup stage.
--- p.121
The journey of a star who represented a generation and won the World Cup is more moving than any movie or story in the world.
Because there is no one who does not know the sweat and tears he shed for this.
Messi, who has given such wonderful emotions and lingering impressions to people all over the world, may be the greatest soccer player of all time, or perhaps the greatest sports star in history.
--- p.171
The preliminary round, which was the first-ever Korea-Japan match in history, was played in a home-and-away format.
However, President Syngman Rhee did not permit the Japanese team to enter the country.
So both games had to be played in Japan.
The match results were 5-1 in the first game and 2-2 in the second game.
We qualified.
--- p.175
Who is the greatest player in Korean football history? Everyone has their own opinion: Cha Bum-kun, who dominated European football in the 1980s, Son Heung-min, the Premier League's top scorer, and Park Ji-sung, the "father of international football."
However, if you ask who is the most outstanding player on the national team, you cannot help but choose Park Ji-sung, the star of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup semi-finals.
--- p.193
The national team's strength surpasses that of 2022.
In particular, Son Heung-min chose LA FC as his new team to adapt and show his best condition for the 2026 North and Central American World Cup.
Additionally, veterans such as Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and midfielders Lee Jae-seong and Hwang In-beom are forming the core of the team.
The growth of the younger generation, including rookie striker Oh Hyun-kyu and gifted midfielder Lee Kang-in, is also noteworthy.
--- p.207
Publisher's Review
The Power of Soccer: Making the Christmas Truce Possible
The right of all classes to enjoy football on an equal footing
The World Cup was born 100 years ago thanks to the efforts of Jules Rimet.
Becoming the world's most popular sporting event
What's the most popular sport in the world? Many people would answer without hesitation: soccer.
Of course, baseball, basketball, and volleyball are some of the sports that come to mind, but it is true that these sports have not yet reached the level of popularity of soccer.
In this way, soccer exerts tremendous power based on its popularity.
Whether it's national power or money, they exercise absolute power in everything.
Perhaps this power of soccer is symbolized by the leagues of each country coming together to create a greater force, and furthermore, by the World Cup, a competition where these forces converge toward a single goal.
This book, "World Cup History: More Fun to Know," covers the ins and outs of the World Cup, the world's greatest sports festival.
People tend to think of the joy of watching sports as a momentary pleasure.
right.
But if you know the hidden narrative within that unscripted drama, if you know the growth story of each player, the enjoyment increases significantly.
This book is largely divided into two parts and an appendix. Part 1 is "What Do You Know About the History of the World Cup?" Part 2 is "The Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup Challenge," and the "Appendix" contains various World Cup records and interesting stories.
PART 1 'How Much Do You Know About the History of the World Cup?' covers the 100-year history of the World Cup, from its birth to the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, with various episodes.
The World Cup history unfolds in a colorful way that goes beyond imagination, including the tantrums that cost the pride of Europe and South America, the wars brought on by a burning desire to win, the bitter aftertaste of England, the home of soccer, and the worst World Cup ever brought about by the greed of a military dictatorship.
However, even though they are a weak team to anyone's eyes, they prove the truth that the ball is round, and there is also Garrincha, a player who turned his disability into an advantage.
Pele, the emperor of soccer who invariably missed the mark when predicting the outcome, even creating the term "curse"; Paolo Rossi, the Cinderella who went from being a traitor to a hero; Matheus, the greatest defensive midfielder of all time; Ronaldo, the man with God-given talent; Zinedine Zidane, famous for his headbutts; Mbappe, the emperor who carries French soccer; Messiah, the soccer king who has reached the pinnacle... these stars appear as the protagonists of various episodes in which their every move is made.
PART 2 'Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup Challenge' unfolds the story of our country's Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup challenge through dramatic storytelling.
The Taegeuk Warriors, who overcame the pain of the Korean War and made their first appearance in the 1954 Swiss Games, recently secured their 11th consecutive appearance since the 1986 Mexico Games through the 2026 North and Central American World Cup qualifiers.
The 40-year history of the Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup challenge is filled with countless emotions and frustrations.
In the 1986 Mexico tournament, Park Chang-seon's mid-range shot against Argentina created a butterfly effect by scoring the first goal in the World Cup finals in South Korea's soccer history.
As of 2022, South Korea's overall World Cup record is 31 points, with 7 wins, 10 draws, and 21 losses in 38 matches.
With 39 goals scored and 78 goals conceded, their goal difference is -39, the lowest among the World Cup participating countries along with Mexico.
We cannot forget the glory of 2002.
They said that just passing the preliminaries would save face for the host country, but they also showed off the true value of Korean soccer by advancing to the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals.
I wonder what kind of story our Taegeuk Warriors, who qualified early, will create at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.
Meanwhile, in the appendix, this book covers 'great records' divided by country and player, and you can find the 'Best 11 in World Cup History' and 'Current Status of World Cup Host Cities' selected by the author himself.
Although it is difficult to cover in the main text, you can also find topics that are necessary for soccer education, such as 'Why is soccer called war?', 'The Escobar shooting incident', and 'Top 5 worst brawls in the World Cup'.
Author's Note
On December 2, 2022, I was at the Al Rayyan Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
It was to cheer for our country in the final match of Group H of the Qatar World Cup against Portugal.
I really wanted South Korea to win.
This was not only my wish, but the wish of all the people.
I saw fans enjoying the victory while watching countless games on the field.
They even danced with bright smiles.
It was a truly enviable sight for me, who had not even won a single game.
Moreover, I saw fans of countries that were eliminated in the group stage hugging each other because they won.
What on earth does one win mean?
I was so curious I was going crazy.
The score of the stormy match is 1 to 1.
The scoreboard indicated extra time.
Just when I was on the edge of my seat, feeling that six minutes was too short, Portugal was awarded a corner kick.
We watched, suppressing our nervousness as we were at a disadvantage.
Kim Moon-hwan cleared the ball into the empty space with a header.
Then, Son Heung-min ran at full speed, snatched the ball, and began a 70-meter sprint.
As Son Heung-min approached the goal, opposing defenders surrounded him.
Son Heung-min calmly surveyed the situation and passed the ball to Hwang Hee-chan, who was running between the opponent's legs towards the goal.
Hwang Hee-chan fired a shot without hesitation.
The Miracle of Doha.
I experienced the greatest joy of my life.
Even thinking about it now makes my hair stand on end and my spine shiver.
People will remember the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup semifinals more, but I was too young at the time to remember.
The experience of observing it firsthand was more impressive to me.
Thanks to Ghana's victory over Uruguay, they even tasted the joy of advancing to the round of 16.
Only then did I understand why the fans were so happy about the win.
I danced and screamed with people whose names I didn't even know.
Football is the center of my life.
The starting point is the 2006 Germany World Cup.
From Park Ji-sung's fighting spirit to Zidane's headbutt, every story that the World Cup showed made me fall in love with soccer.
From then on, the focus of my life was solely on soccer.
Even among friends, most of them played ball together.
Every weekend night, I would stay up all night watching the Premier League, where Park Ji-sung and Son Heung-min play, and La Liga, where Messi and Ronaldo play.
'War of the Stars' Champions League He always made my heart flutter.
But the competition that excited me the most was the 'FIFA World Cup'.
This is because the dedicated attitude and patriotism of the players representing our country come together.
The victory of the national team players meant victory for me and for us.
The atmosphere of everyone united and shouting “Great Republic of Korea!” always made me happy.
However, upon checking on the World Cup tour site, we found that this was not just our story.
The most memorable fans were definitely the Argentines.
The Lusail Stadium, which seats over 80,000 people, was filled to capacity, and everyone seemed to be possessed by something and sang the cheering song at the top of their lungs.
The 'madness' was so severe that the expression 'shouted' rather than 'called' would be more appropriate.
The match I watched was the quarterfinal between Argentina and the Netherlands.
All the fans were on their feet.
Even I, who wanted to sit and watch, had no choice but to get up.
The moment Argentina scored, I lost my balance and fell over.
The line collapsed as fans hugged each other.
At that moment, the thought occurred to me, 'I might really die today.'
He fell down even when an additional goal was scored.
But for the first time, a brief silence passed as the Netherlands scored an equalizer in the final moments of the match.
The fans cheered passionately again, but their expressions were serious.
From then on, I desperately wanted Argentina to win.
It seemed like a riot would break out if Argentina were eliminated.
The penalty shootout has begun.
I prayed earnestly as if I were an Argentine.
People around me began to cry one by one in fear of being eliminated.
But fortunately, Argentina won the penalty shootout.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
I lived.
Could it be because the fans' crazy, earnest support reached them?
As we all know, Argentina won the tournament.
This wasn't just Argentina's story.
Ghanaian fans were thrilled that Uruguay were eliminated, even though their own country was eliminated.
When Japan beat Germany, everyone except German fans cheered for Japan, the 'underdog'.
When his country was defeated, he shed tears, and when it won, he cheered with joy.
What joys and sorrows are contained in this small ball that makes everyone love the World Cup so much?
We invite you to this world of joy and sorrow ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States.
This book contains all the interesting stories from the long history of the World Cup, including the cheers and frustrations of the World Cup stars, and the anger and joy of the fans.
When I play or watch soccer, I forget all the pain and stress and focus solely on soccer.
The moments when I enjoy playing soccer are the most freeing moments in my life.
I hope this book will provide that kind of comfort to readers.
I hope that when I read the story of the World Cup, I can forget all my worries.
Finally, there are many people who helped me publish the book.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my comrades who helped and encouraged me as I diligently researched and wrote my manuscript in the military; to the community members who generously praised me when I serialized the manuscript in a column; to my parents, friends, and seniors who always support me; and to the Chobom Bookstore family who donated the book.
October 2025
Han Ji-yong
The right of all classes to enjoy football on an equal footing
The World Cup was born 100 years ago thanks to the efforts of Jules Rimet.
Becoming the world's most popular sporting event
What's the most popular sport in the world? Many people would answer without hesitation: soccer.
Of course, baseball, basketball, and volleyball are some of the sports that come to mind, but it is true that these sports have not yet reached the level of popularity of soccer.
In this way, soccer exerts tremendous power based on its popularity.
Whether it's national power or money, they exercise absolute power in everything.
Perhaps this power of soccer is symbolized by the leagues of each country coming together to create a greater force, and furthermore, by the World Cup, a competition where these forces converge toward a single goal.
This book, "World Cup History: More Fun to Know," covers the ins and outs of the World Cup, the world's greatest sports festival.
People tend to think of the joy of watching sports as a momentary pleasure.
right.
But if you know the hidden narrative within that unscripted drama, if you know the growth story of each player, the enjoyment increases significantly.
This book is largely divided into two parts and an appendix. Part 1 is "What Do You Know About the History of the World Cup?" Part 2 is "The Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup Challenge," and the "Appendix" contains various World Cup records and interesting stories.
PART 1 'How Much Do You Know About the History of the World Cup?' covers the 100-year history of the World Cup, from its birth to the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, with various episodes.
The World Cup history unfolds in a colorful way that goes beyond imagination, including the tantrums that cost the pride of Europe and South America, the wars brought on by a burning desire to win, the bitter aftertaste of England, the home of soccer, and the worst World Cup ever brought about by the greed of a military dictatorship.
However, even though they are a weak team to anyone's eyes, they prove the truth that the ball is round, and there is also Garrincha, a player who turned his disability into an advantage.
Pele, the emperor of soccer who invariably missed the mark when predicting the outcome, even creating the term "curse"; Paolo Rossi, the Cinderella who went from being a traitor to a hero; Matheus, the greatest defensive midfielder of all time; Ronaldo, the man with God-given talent; Zinedine Zidane, famous for his headbutts; Mbappe, the emperor who carries French soccer; Messiah, the soccer king who has reached the pinnacle... these stars appear as the protagonists of various episodes in which their every move is made.
PART 2 'Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup Challenge' unfolds the story of our country's Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup challenge through dramatic storytelling.
The Taegeuk Warriors, who overcame the pain of the Korean War and made their first appearance in the 1954 Swiss Games, recently secured their 11th consecutive appearance since the 1986 Mexico Games through the 2026 North and Central American World Cup qualifiers.
The 40-year history of the Taegeuk Warriors' World Cup challenge is filled with countless emotions and frustrations.
In the 1986 Mexico tournament, Park Chang-seon's mid-range shot against Argentina created a butterfly effect by scoring the first goal in the World Cup finals in South Korea's soccer history.
As of 2022, South Korea's overall World Cup record is 31 points, with 7 wins, 10 draws, and 21 losses in 38 matches.
With 39 goals scored and 78 goals conceded, their goal difference is -39, the lowest among the World Cup participating countries along with Mexico.
We cannot forget the glory of 2002.
They said that just passing the preliminaries would save face for the host country, but they also showed off the true value of Korean soccer by advancing to the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals.
I wonder what kind of story our Taegeuk Warriors, who qualified early, will create at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.
Meanwhile, in the appendix, this book covers 'great records' divided by country and player, and you can find the 'Best 11 in World Cup History' and 'Current Status of World Cup Host Cities' selected by the author himself.
Although it is difficult to cover in the main text, you can also find topics that are necessary for soccer education, such as 'Why is soccer called war?', 'The Escobar shooting incident', and 'Top 5 worst brawls in the World Cup'.
Author's Note
On December 2, 2022, I was at the Al Rayyan Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
It was to cheer for our country in the final match of Group H of the Qatar World Cup against Portugal.
I really wanted South Korea to win.
This was not only my wish, but the wish of all the people.
I saw fans enjoying the victory while watching countless games on the field.
They even danced with bright smiles.
It was a truly enviable sight for me, who had not even won a single game.
Moreover, I saw fans of countries that were eliminated in the group stage hugging each other because they won.
What on earth does one win mean?
I was so curious I was going crazy.
The score of the stormy match is 1 to 1.
The scoreboard indicated extra time.
Just when I was on the edge of my seat, feeling that six minutes was too short, Portugal was awarded a corner kick.
We watched, suppressing our nervousness as we were at a disadvantage.
Kim Moon-hwan cleared the ball into the empty space with a header.
Then, Son Heung-min ran at full speed, snatched the ball, and began a 70-meter sprint.
As Son Heung-min approached the goal, opposing defenders surrounded him.
Son Heung-min calmly surveyed the situation and passed the ball to Hwang Hee-chan, who was running between the opponent's legs towards the goal.
Hwang Hee-chan fired a shot without hesitation.
The Miracle of Doha.
I experienced the greatest joy of my life.
Even thinking about it now makes my hair stand on end and my spine shiver.
People will remember the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup semifinals more, but I was too young at the time to remember.
The experience of observing it firsthand was more impressive to me.
Thanks to Ghana's victory over Uruguay, they even tasted the joy of advancing to the round of 16.
Only then did I understand why the fans were so happy about the win.
I danced and screamed with people whose names I didn't even know.
Football is the center of my life.
The starting point is the 2006 Germany World Cup.
From Park Ji-sung's fighting spirit to Zidane's headbutt, every story that the World Cup showed made me fall in love with soccer.
From then on, the focus of my life was solely on soccer.
Even among friends, most of them played ball together.
Every weekend night, I would stay up all night watching the Premier League, where Park Ji-sung and Son Heung-min play, and La Liga, where Messi and Ronaldo play.
'War of the Stars' Champions League He always made my heart flutter.
But the competition that excited me the most was the 'FIFA World Cup'.
This is because the dedicated attitude and patriotism of the players representing our country come together.
The victory of the national team players meant victory for me and for us.
The atmosphere of everyone united and shouting “Great Republic of Korea!” always made me happy.
However, upon checking on the World Cup tour site, we found that this was not just our story.
The most memorable fans were definitely the Argentines.
The Lusail Stadium, which seats over 80,000 people, was filled to capacity, and everyone seemed to be possessed by something and sang the cheering song at the top of their lungs.
The 'madness' was so severe that the expression 'shouted' rather than 'called' would be more appropriate.
The match I watched was the quarterfinal between Argentina and the Netherlands.
All the fans were on their feet.
Even I, who wanted to sit and watch, had no choice but to get up.
The moment Argentina scored, I lost my balance and fell over.
The line collapsed as fans hugged each other.
At that moment, the thought occurred to me, 'I might really die today.'
He fell down even when an additional goal was scored.
But for the first time, a brief silence passed as the Netherlands scored an equalizer in the final moments of the match.
The fans cheered passionately again, but their expressions were serious.
From then on, I desperately wanted Argentina to win.
It seemed like a riot would break out if Argentina were eliminated.
The penalty shootout has begun.
I prayed earnestly as if I were an Argentine.
People around me began to cry one by one in fear of being eliminated.
But fortunately, Argentina won the penalty shootout.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
I lived.
Could it be because the fans' crazy, earnest support reached them?
As we all know, Argentina won the tournament.
This wasn't just Argentina's story.
Ghanaian fans were thrilled that Uruguay were eliminated, even though their own country was eliminated.
When Japan beat Germany, everyone except German fans cheered for Japan, the 'underdog'.
When his country was defeated, he shed tears, and when it won, he cheered with joy.
What joys and sorrows are contained in this small ball that makes everyone love the World Cup so much?
We invite you to this world of joy and sorrow ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States.
This book contains all the interesting stories from the long history of the World Cup, including the cheers and frustrations of the World Cup stars, and the anger and joy of the fans.
When I play or watch soccer, I forget all the pain and stress and focus solely on soccer.
The moments when I enjoy playing soccer are the most freeing moments in my life.
I hope this book will provide that kind of comfort to readers.
I hope that when I read the story of the World Cup, I can forget all my worries.
Finally, there are many people who helped me publish the book.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my comrades who helped and encouraged me as I diligently researched and wrote my manuscript in the military; to the community members who generously praised me when I serialized the manuscript in a column; to my parents, friends, and seniors who always support me; and to the Chobom Bookstore family who donated the book.
October 2025
Han Ji-yong
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: September 30, 2025
- Page count, weight, size: 244 pages | 390g | 145*210*15mm
- ISBN13: 9791194847021
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