AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023/ South Korean Coach is Seeking a 63-year-old Missed Achievement

Doha, January 10 (QNA) - The South Korean national football team is looking forward to capturing the title of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, hosted by Qatar from Jan. 12 until Feb. 10. The German coach Jurgen Klinsmann intends to lead the South Korean team to its third title in this tournament, which they previously won twice in a row in 1956 and 1960. Realizing such ambition will not be an easy task in light of the difficulties faced by the South Korean national team in the last editions of the tournament. They exited the competition from the quarter-finals in the 2019 edition in the UAE and finished as runner-up to the champion in the 2015 edition in Australia, and achieved third place twice, in 2011, and 2007, but they hope their participation will lead to a historic achievement in the Qatar 2023 edition. Under the slogan of winning the continental title, German Jurgen Klinsmann stressed to journalists that any position other than winning the tournament means failure. Despite the German coach's great aspirations, he faced criticism from the media and fans at the beginning of his career with the South Korean national team, as he did not achieve any victory in any of his first five matches. However, he succeeded in turning the tide after that, by securing six consecutive victories. Klinsmann considered the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 an opportunity to gain a new trophy for South Korean football, as he stressed that the South Korean fans have the right to wait for the return of the continental cup to their country after an absence of 63 years. This is possible with the availability of a wonderful group of distinguished players, particularly Son Heung-min, Tottenham's top scorer. Son is considered the pivotal player of the South Korean national team squad for a long time, but he now has several teammates who also play at a high level, such as defender Min-jae Kim, who moved to German Bayern Munich last summer after winning the Italian League title with Napoli. Another shining player is Hwang Hee-chan, playing for Premier League club Wolverhampton, as well as Paris Saint-Germain's midfielder Lee Kang-in, who is expected to be one of the rising stars in the Asian Cup. Klinsmann has great confidence in the capabilities of the South Korean national team players and their readiness to compete at the highest levels for the continental title. He emphasized his belief in the ability of this team to win the cup given the presence of top quality players at his disposal. (QNA)