Just like the opening match, Korean football fans once again predicted a win for Korea.
But this time, things didn't go as planned.
The difference was France's hidden card, who had missed the first match due to injury.
The frontrunner of so-called "bulldozer football," Moussa Sissoko.
'He's way more incredible than what I saw on TV.'
Sissoko.
Even if you weren't a football fanatic, any fan of the EPL and Tottenham would know his name.
He was already well-known, and it was widely agreed that even in his youth, his talent was nearly fully bloomed.
Ho-young agreed with that assessment.
'They're not wrong.'
Positioned as a central midfielder, Sissoko completely dominated the midfield with his monstrous physicality.
Korea's central midfielder Koo Ja-young was constantly shoved off the ball in every duel, and their passing game wasn't functioning properly either.
Born in 1989, Moussa Sissoko was, quite literally, a beast.
Even more shocking was the fact that he never seemed to tire.
With his immense stamina and overwhelming physicality, he imposed his presence all over the pitch.
It was almost painful to watch one player take control of such a wide midfield area on his own.
Only after Ho-young dropped back to play as an attacking midfielder on Manager Park Kyung-woon's orders did Korea's ball distribution somewhat stabilize, but that alone couldn't solve the midfield isolation.
"Ugh."
It had been a while.
This was the first time in a long time Ho-young had felt like he had hit a wall.
It felt like facing a fortress that simply would not fall.
In Brazil, where most players were focused on technique, he'd never experienced such raw power.
Sissoko, standing around 180 cm and weighing close to 80 kg.
For Ho-young, he was a new kind of obstacle.
'He's way bulkier than Sakho.'
Thankfully, Sissoko's football IQ and technical skills didn't match his incredible physical tools. That was a weakness Ho-young could exploit.
[Moussa Sissoko]
[Possessed Talents: Football Prodigy (B+3), Relentless Burst Runs (A+2), Legs Faster than a Lamborghini (A+), Strong Physique (B+3), Abundant Stamina (B+2)]
(View More)
(You can obtain one talent upon meeting the required conditions.)
(Condition 1: Play together for 45 minutes)
(Condition 2: Be selected as Man of the Match in this game)
(Condition 3: Score a goal)
'They used to say if he had better football IQ, he could've been the next Patrick Vieira.'
Patrick Vieira.
A central midfielder who, with his dominant physicality and athleticism, covered the entire midfield on his own — the best of his generation.
This role was known as a Box-to-Box Midfielder.
These players don't just sit deep in the defensive line. Like windshield wipers, they sweep across the pitch from end to end.
Sissoko and Vieira were both French box-to-box midfielders, but the difference between them was massive.
Football intelligence.
Ho-young decided to exploit Sissoko's lack of it.
That was when it began.
Despite being an attacking midfielder, Ho-young dropped all the way to the third line to receive and carry the ball himself.
He was forcing the stalled midfield flow back into motion.
'Let him sweep all he wants. I'll just avoid the broom.'
Why engage directly when he knew he'd lose the duel?
If Sissoko tried to clean up the midfield with his energy and movement, then Ho-young would just turn the place into a mess with his own high work rate.
The effect showed itself in just five minutes.
'Damn it.'
Adding Ho-young's movement to his existing role, Sissoko had to chase even deeper, and soon he was noticeably short of breath.
The once tight midfield began to loosen.
At the same time, Korea's ball distribution gradually improved.
'That little rat...'
A 13-year-old had changed the flow of the game just by dropping into deeper positions.
"You son of a...!"
"What's your problem?"
"Get over here! Stop running away!"
"What are you talking about?"
No matter what Sissoko said, Ho-young stayed focused on the game.
"You little bastard."
Sissoko couldn't hide how much he hated what he saw.
Ho-young darting around the pitch annoyed him to no end.
'They call that kid good-looking? He still smells like milk.'
To make matters worse, Sissoko was already annoyed by how much attention Ho-young had been getting from the media.
He believed he should be the one in the spotlight.
So he got spiteful.
Unfortunately, he hadn't yet developed a professional mindset, despite being close to turning pro in two years.
He was still in the emotional storm of adolescence.
With a physique that far exceeded his peers, he lacked the control to match it.
And above all else...
'This is our stadium.'
Thud!
"Ugh."
In the 25th minute of the first half.
During a challenge for the ball, Sissoko rammed his broad shoulder into Ho-young's body.
This wasn't a standard shoulder charge, it was a dangerous, aggressive move meant to knock him down with force.
But the referee's whistle never came.
'He's letting a lot slide.'
Normally, referees at youth tournaments are strict, but today's official was relatively lenient.
You'd think you were watching an English Premier League match with how much physical play he allowed.
Even after that, the referee hardly called any fouls, and that meant Ho-young became the target of increasingly rough challenges.
'This is insane.'
With defenders marking him tightly and throwing in heavy body checks, it was impossible to maintain concentration.
Thump!
Wherever he went, someone was initiating contact, and he found himself on the ground time and time again.
But still, no whistle.
Home advantage.
Unfair, yes, but such things were part of sport.
There was no choice but to accept it.
'I've played worse games than this.'
If there was anything to blame, it was Ho-young's inability to overcome the strength differential.
For him, Sissoko was nothing short of a natural disaster.
If Mamadou Sakho was a wild boar, then Sissoko was a rhinoceros.
Naturally, Ho-young's body tensed up, and that started to affect his game. The results reflected that clearly.
In the first 40 minutes of the match, he had just one shot and one successful dribble.
Not the performance you'd expect from the team's ace.
France's coach Laurent's "Ho-young-specific countermeasure" was working perfectly.
Ho-young had tried to solve the problem with clever off-the-ball movement, but even that was shut down.
'He's faster than me.'
Maybe Ho-young was quicker with the ball at his feet, but the problem was that he never got the chance to use it.
He couldn't even hold onto the ball long enough to attempt those plays.
Everything was going wrong.
He needed a solution.
If the team's creative spark continued to be snuffed out, they had no hope of winning.
'Think.'
Carlos's words echoed in his mind — when your body is limited, you have to use your head.
And then, it hit him.
'Endure. For now.'
There was only one answer.
'Hang on until the moment comes.'
The one-sided match continued right up until the end of the first half.
And so did Ho-young's slump.
Bumped and battered by Sissoko.
The difference in age between U15 and U16 might be only a year, but the gap felt enormous.
'The U17 World Cup will be even harder.'
A tournament where he'd have to face high schoolers.
He might be dominating in the U16 level now, but when the physical gap becomes overwhelming, there's no room to shine.
Ho-young wasn't yet a monster like Pelé or Maradona.
Eventually, it was France who broke the deadlock.
Thud!
"Yes!"
In the 43rd minute, the pitch was swallowed by a wave of blue.
It was the celebration of the French players after the opening goal.
"Damn it."
No good.
The match wasn't just going poorly, it felt hopeless.
Ho-young felt like something was choking his throat.
His signature Brazilian flair was completely ineffective.
There was a reason why the English Premier League was often referred to as a graveyard for Brazilian players, with its brutal physicality.
While the midfield was still moving the ball with long passes, France's defensive third was a full-on battlefield.
It was Ho-young's moment of hardship.
Even so...
"Get up!"
"Hey! Snap out of it!"
He heard the voices of his ten teammates and Korean supporters urging him on.
Fighting spirit.
That alone brought him back to his feet like a roly-poly.
Even after being knocked down, he stood up again.
And he evaded.
"Let's go!!"
Ho-young screamed, veins bulging in his neck.
This was the last match.
He ran with the resolve to burn everything he had left.
In the 45th minute of the first half.
Lee Chung-yong and Suk Hyun-jun began moving busily, looking for other attacking routes.
Dribbles and individual plays weren't working, but their occasional long-range shots at least sparked some life into their attack.
The cries from Korean supporters filled the air, lifting the team's spirits.
"Let's go!"
Finally, the dying flame flickered back to life.
Then it happened.
Thump!
Koo Ja-young sent a key pass surging into the box.
"...!"
A one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Lee Chung-yong took the shot with all his might.
"Ah!"
But the ball rolled softly along the ground, right into the arms of the goalkeeper.
Of all times, he had to hit a feather-light shot!
"Ugh!"
Korea sank into despair.
Piii!
With France leading 1-0, the half ended. Their performance had been clean and precise.
Ho-young slumped to the ground, exhausted.
And then, a boy walked over to him.
"You okay?"
The boy with dark skin, who had single-handedly dominated the match, was none other than Moussa Sissoko.
"Keep your chin up. It's not over yet. Heh heh."
He smiled his signature cheerful smile and encouraged Ho-young.
It looked friendly, but anyone could see the malice beneath it.
It was the confidence of someone in control.
When Sissoko clenched his fist in a gesture of encouragement, Ho-young nodded, understanding his intention.
"Thanks. I'll give it my all."
He didn't show even a hint of being discouraged.
He looked up at the smiling Sissoko.
He meant it.
'I will give it my all.'
The battle was far from over.
When the Korean players returned to the locker room after the first half, Manager Park Kyung-woon delivered a passionate 10-minute tactical explanation.
Whether it would work or not, he didn't know. But it was better than doing nothing.
Coach Park Cheol-woo suggested they substitute Ho-young, who hadn't been effective so far.
"You wanna keep talking nonsense?"
"But seriously, it's not looking good. Maybe we should sub in Nam Woo-jung, with his physical presence..."
"There's still time."
"Hmm..."
"Hey, do you know why the football is round?"
"Why?"
"If you don't know, go figure that out instead of spouting garbage."
Coach Park was brushed aside, and Manager Park headed straight to Ho-young to offer encouragement.
Park Cheol-woo wasn't entirely wrong.
But Park Kyung-woon wanted to believe in Ho-young to the end.
After all, it was Ho-young who had carried Korea to this point, when making the semifinals had seemed like a long shot.
Likewise, he believed Ho-young was the only one who could turn this match around.
"Thank you for believing in me."
And just before leaving the locker room, Ho-young was rewarded with the opportunity to meet that belief.
The long-awaited moment had finally arrived.
[You have successfully fully acquired "Football Prodigy (S-)."]
March 28.
Exactly 40 days since he had first claimed Neymar's talent.
And it wasn't just that.
The talents he had previously absorbed from Philippe Coutinho, Monica, Lee Chung-yong, Mamadou Sakho, Thomas Müller, Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, and Kagawa Shinji came flooding in like a fountain.
[You are acquiring: Superior Agility (B-).]
[You are acquiring: Natural Language Sense (B).]
[You are acquiring: Exceptional Composure (B-).]
[You are acquiring: Natural Muscles (B-).]
[You are acquiring: High Football IQ (A-).]
[You are acquiring: Sharp Anticipation (A-).]
[You are acquiring: Precise and Quick Kicks (A-).]
[You are acquiring: Delicate and Precise Ball Touch (B+).]
[Delicate and Precise Ball Touch (B+2) ↑]
So this is what it felt like to finally receive back pay.
It was a euphoric feeling, like stuffing a wallet that had been empty for far too long.
A fanfare echoed in his heart.
'Now I can even fully absorb A- grade talents right away.'
His [Versatile Midfield Commander (U)] was gradually growing, and with it, his capacity to hold more talents.
Still, whether these talents would immediately influence today's match remained uncertain.
The important thing was...
The second half had begun.
(To be continued.)