64 – Youngest(?) Talent
064
There is a term called Crab Mentality.
Also known as the crab theory, it originated from the sight of crabs in a bucket.
If you put one crab in a bucket, it will escape, but if you put several crabs together, they will pull down any crab trying to escape, creating a phenomenon where none of them can get out.
In other words, it is akin to the proverb, ‘If your cousin buys land, your stomach hurts.’
How many people can genuinely celebrate when someone less talented than them succeeds?
Perhaps for most people, the stomach churns more with jealousy than with congratulations.
This is by no means a peculiar occurrence. Beyond the bounds of moral judgment or transcending the realm of adulthood, it is a natural emotion for anyone.
So it was with the emotions directed toward Munich in 1860.
When they won against Werder Bremen in the first round, many people cheered.
“The team that was predicted to be relegated first is showing an unexpected performance.”
“A rebellion of the underdogs! This is passion, and this is sports!”
“Although fallen, a noble house remains a noble house. That’s why individuals or clubs need a foundation. With tradition, they can rise again.”
“I’m not a fan of Munich, but what a splendid victory. I hope they continue to perform well in the future.”
After winning against Mainz in the second round and Kaiserslautern in the third round, achieving a three-game winning streak, even more people praised them.
But when they won against Dortmund in the fourth round, achieving a four-game winning streak,
“Tsk, those who used to roll in the third division are breaking the hierarchy.”
“It’s impressive to beat Dortmund, but giving the captaincy to a young Asian kid. Is Munich a German club or an Asian one?”
“The representative of Munich is Bayern, so why are these losers claiming to represent Munich?”
“The league is going quite well. Hearing that such a team is leading the league makes the Bundesliga seem not as good as it used to be. What is Leipzig doing, anyway?”
Jealousy began to creep in.
Of course, there were still many who supported the ‘rebellion of the underdogs.’
But more than a hundred words of praise, one word of slander lingered more in the mind, and it was more noticeable than expected that as everyone praised, the insults increased. Especially for the person involved.
That’s how impactful the victory against Dortmund was for 1860 Munich.
The team predicted to be relegated first had defeated the contender for the championship.
“A lion is still a beast even when old! Munich’s monumental victory!”
“The new dark horse of the Bundesliga!”
“Will another ‘Leicester fairytale’ unfold?”
“Attack, attack again! Willem’s attacking football has finally defeated even the hornet’s nest!!”
Even though the momentum was high, few expected Munich, evaluated as a relegation candidate, to beat the championship contender Dortmund.
And even fewer anticipated that the protagonist of such a dramatic turn of events would be an 18-year-old Asian player who had just debuted in the pros.
“The center of victory is the 18-year-old Asian prodigy!”
“Two boys from the East leading Munich!”
“Joo Jitaek, once again selected as the Man of the Match!”
“Recording five goals, one assist, and one MOM in the Bundesliga that has reached the fourth round, Cho Jaeshin emerges as an outstanding young talent!”
Now, it’s absurd enough that an 18-year-old Asian prodigy in his first month of a pro contract is competing in the scoring race with 5 goals and 1 assist in 4 games, accumulating a total of 6 attacking points. However, what’s even more mind-boggling is Ju Ji-tae’s performance as a center-back.
With a crazy stat line of 4 games, 3 goals, and 1 assist as a center-back, the three MOM awards were undoubtedly a record proving what it truly means to ‘carry as a center-back.’
This is to say—
“Bundesliga is being dominated by an 18-year-old Korean center-back!!”
He’s devouring the league.
* * *
Humans are creatures of reason and rationality, yet at the same time, they are creatures of emotion.
For instance, consider this:
From Noble mtl dot com
Even if the head of the National Veterans Affairs, responsible for selecting national merit recipients and honors, is a capable and competent individual, could we accept it if they were a collaborator with the Japanese during the colonial era?
Perhaps no matter how capable and competent, the overwhelming sentiment might still be, “Well, still, having a collaborator as the head of the Veterans Affairs is a bit…”
While it might seem irrational to think that way, the ways of the world don’t always operate purely on logic.
“Danny was too hasty. Do you know how exceptional Ju Ji-tae’s talent is? But he’s just an 18-year-old boy. Do you think players would listen to an 18-year-old? And he’s only been with the team for just a month!”
“What does age and joining time matter so much? Maybe Danny judged it wisely. If the coach and teammates acknowledged him, he must have handed over the captain’s armband properly. Why gossip about it?”
1860 Munich may have fallen, but once a prestigious institution that rivaled Bayern Munich for German supremacy. Naturally, fans took pride in this legacy. In truth, it was more of an obsession since there was nothing else to boast about outside of tradition.
In the late stages, near the Dortmund penalty box, when a contested ball flowed out, Ju Ji-tae connected with a mid-range shot, dragging the team to victory. Had they lost, it would have caused even more chaos.
So, amidst the unbelievable storm of 1860 Munich’s resurgence, with the main actors being two mere 18-year-old players, and one of them claiming the captain’s armband during a Bundesliga match, what were these two doing—
“What? Is my bro supporting you?”
“…Sorry.”
“Want me to nail a hat-trick for you?”
“Oh, sorry about that.”
“What hat-trick. I’ll even tie a ribbon on it~ After all the talk, you couldn’t do anything?”
“Damn it! Just shut up!”
They were on a plane headed to Korea.
For an A-match.
If they demonstrated skills beyond the age group in the youth national team, a call-up was inevitable.
Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin showcased overwhelming performances in the under-20 national team at just 17. Moreover, it was at international competitions like the Asian Cup and the World Cup.
They even proved their worth in the Youth World Cup, achieving the youngest Golden Ball and Golden Shoe, demonstrating the under-20 national team’s prowess despite their youth.
Though the under-20 national team had a head start of 2-3 years, Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin’s skills proved that even that was a narrow margin. Now, only the under-23 and senior national teams remained.
The football association initially considered a call-up for the under-23 national team.
After the Youth World Cup, the under-23 team, which had participated in the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane, was utterly decimated, not even making it to the medal round, let alone being knocked out in the Round of 16.
Amidst a tournament laden with military service benefits, specifically geared toward the under-20 national team’s triumph, FC Korea soared amid the waves of rumor that swept through.
Not a quarterfinal, not an eighth—eliminated in the round of 16.
Naturally, a considerable number of the under-23 national team players found themselves distanced from the Taegeuk mark for a while, opening the door for the youthful heroes of the Youth World Cup, particularly Ju Ji Tae and Jo Jae Shin.
But having tasted the modest success of the “Dream Project,” the Football Association made a more radical decision.
Summoning two young, 18-year-old players to the senior national team.
“August A-Match Call-up List!”
“The result of the rampant rumor? Korea’s shooting stars, an electrifying inclusion decision!”
“A Bundesliga duo emerges in Sangam!! Ju Ji Tae, Jo Jae Shin called up for A-Match!”
“If these two players, barely 18, make their debut?”
Summoning not just one but two players of such tender age to the national team was undeniably burdensome for the Football Association and the coach. Yet surprisingly, it didn’t grant them the title of “youngest ever.”
While they were the recipients of the Golden Ball and Golden Boot in the history of the Youth World Cup, the title of the youngest national team player was still held by Kim Pan Geun, who was an astonishing 17 years and 241 days old back in November 1981.
Nonetheless, the debut of these newly-turned 18-year-olds was undeniably rapid, potentially marking their names in the country’s record books as the youngest to represent Korea.
Even without such records, the return of these two emerging talents as national heroes drew an enormous crowd.
“Ju Ji Tae! There’s already talk of you being Asia’s best center-back. What are your thoughts on that?”
“Jo Jae Shin! How do you feel about the top scorer competition? Can we expect an Asian top scorer after Son Heung Min!?”
Stepping out onto the departure gate, Jo Jae Shin was taken aback by the shower of camera flashes.
He had experienced this during the Asian Cup and World Cup victories, but getting accustomed to the incessant flashes felt overwhelmingly pressurizing.
Yet, Ju Ji Tae was different.
In his initial appearances, he was akin to a black hole drawing in journalists, making these camera flashes feel like a light winter’s breeze.
“Ju Ji Tae! Jo Jae Shin! Are you aware that after Kim Bong Soo, you will be the youngest to debut?”
Amidst the torrent of questions, a reporter abruptly thrust the mic, catching Jo Jae Shin off guard, prompting an unintended response.
“Uh… of course I know.”
“Oh! Are you not disappointed about being next after Kim Bong Soo?”
In response to the probing question, Ju Ji Tae, dissenting the intensity, spoke up.
“Disappointed? Not at all. It’s an honor just to be next after senior Kim Bong Soo.”
“Aren’t you interested in setting records? This is an opportunity to rank third or fourth as the youngest in history.”
“Of course, it’s a joy, but both Jae Shin and I believe that just being able to wear the Taegeuk mark, a childhood dream, is an honor in itself.”
Of course, it’s a lie.
The genuine sentiment is a desire to surpass all past records.
However, unfortunately, the record for the youngest debut for the national team slipped away—
“Still, I’m eager for the youngest scoring record.”
I must score a goal.
『Joo Ji-tae, Jo Jae-shin “Always Dreamed of the Taeguk Mark… Confident in Debut Goal Before Debut” Revealed』
