72 – Wonder Goal
072
Ju Ji-tae played as a midfielder throughout his life.
… Occasionally, he played in other positions, and when he first started playing football, he started as a forward. Nevertheless, throughout his professional career, he played as a midfielder, so it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that his whole life was spent that way.
And that’s because Ju Ji-tae’s professional career has been an impressive 16 years.
It’s a natural course for Joo Ji-tae, who has spent a considerable period playing as a midfielder, even for the most seasoned veterans, to become accustomed to the title “midfielder.”
Of course, the distinction between being a second or third-tier midfielder is significant, and even among those in the same tier, the variance in roles and tactical instructions is substantial. Nevertheless, Ji-tae’s football career was, without a doubt, that of a midfielder.
More precisely, he excelled as an attacking midfielder, specializing in playmaking, rather than a defensive one. Not that he couldn’t defend; in modern football, where even forwards are required to contribute defensively, taking on an offensive role doesn’t mean neglecting defensive duties. Naturally, Ji-tae was quite adept at defending, within the criteria of being an “attacking midfielder.”
“Joo! Over there!”
“I’ll take—oops!”
Let me reiterate, Ji-tae was undoubtedly a midfielder who could defend well.
Within the standard of being an “attacking role-playing midfielder,” to be precise.
“Hey! Going that way!”
Having played in defense, Ji-tae was certainly a proficient player. But not as a center-back; rather, as a midfielder.
And this was the reason for falling victim to Heiner Rupert’s momentary cunning.
A pass aimed at Heiner Rupert. Ji-tae immediately pressed forward, but Heiner Rupert, as if mocking Ji-tae, stretched his leg as though about to receive the ball, stopping at the last moment.
Without any hindrance, the ball flowed behind Heiner Rupert, tempting Munich’s winger Herbert Dieter to infiltrate towards the goal. Ji-tae’s center-back duo, Helmut Forst and the one who should have marked him, was effortlessly neutralized with just one touch, allowing Dieter to shoot and score.
It was Bayern Munich’s opening goal, and Herbert Dieter’s goal.
“Feels like my victory, youngster.”
Although not recorded as a goal point due to pretending to touch the ball, Heiner Rupert’s contribution to the opening goal was evident.
And this was nothing less than Ji-tae’s mistake in charge of marking Heiner Rupert.
Ji-tae lightly tapped Heiner Rupert on the shoulder and watched him go.
“I expected to concede, but he’s too fast.”
It was an anticipated concession since he decided to lure them in further, but Ji-tae hadn’t expected him to be this fast.
Despite deploying an aggressive defensive style, when facing a formidable opponent, he unintentionally resorted to defending as a midfielder, a role he had become accustomed to.
“Defending in the last line, as a center-back, and defending in the midfield are different beasts… I still have a long way to go.”
Regarded as the most promising center-back, Ji-tae falls short when strictly evaluated as a pure center-back.
Ji-tae is still more comfortable as a midfielder.
While the importance of defensive prowess in midfield, combined with the experience gained over a long professional career, hasn’t been an issue so far, relying solely on these makeshift measures makes it challenging to confront world-class attackers.
In the media, he is praised as the cornerstone of 1860 Munich’s ironclad defense, gradually adapting to the center-back position, but he is still lacking— not as familiar or experienced as in midfield.
Of course, he is evaluated as a “monster of historical proportions” just for that, but still.
“Still, it’s time to… move a bit.”
Observing the more aggressive formation of Bayern Munich’s players, compared to the beginning, as they await the restart of the game, Ji-tae quietly prepared himself.
It’s time to momentarily cast aside the constraints he imposed on himself.
Joo Ji-tae had spent his entire life as a midfielder.
When he first started playing soccer, he played as a forward, but except for that brief period, he spent almost the entirety of his career as a midfielder.
There were several reasons why Joo Ji-tae chose the unfamiliar position of center-back.
Of course, the first reason was to settle a score with his former friend on the first day of his return.
However, this was just a temporary whim, not the real reason.
The real reason was—
“Over here.”
As the game resumed and Daniel Lauf, who had been struggling against Bayern Munich’s pressure, quickly passed the ball in response to Joo Ji-tae’s pass demand, Heinrich Rupert, who was closely sticking to Joo Ji-tae’s side as he approached to receive the pass, extended his leg to intercept the ball at the moment Heinrich Rupert received it.
Swish—
Joo Ji-tae, skillfully pulling the ball inside with a quick turn, was one step ahead.
Heinrich Rupert, who ended his first attempt with a feigned misstep, immediately entered the second challenge.
Turning the feigned misstep into a natural step, the attempt to press again was nullified by Joo Ji-tae’s light turn.
As if he had anticipated it, Joo Ji-tae smoothly evaded Heinrich Rupert with an immediate and gentle turn, accelerating.
However, Bayern Munich’s defense was quick.
Just as Joo Ji-tae was about to lift his two feet in a frighteningly fast acceleration, Bayern Munich’s midfielder Hasan Salihamačić approached, and at the moment Joo Ji-tae’s thick thigh muscles tightened— he was pushed aside.
“Getting faster from here!?”
It was a sudden acceleration.
Despite the pressure considering Joo Ji-tae’s already famous momentary acceleration ability, the acceleration within the three steps taken was even more dramatic.
In an instant, Joo Ji-tae overtook two players and no one stood in his way until he reached the half-line.
Was it because Bayern Munich’s formation was disrupted aggressively? The first presser Heinrich Rupert and the covering Hasan Salihamačić were quickly pushed aside?
Certainly, that was true.
But the even bigger reason was—
“This is insane! How can the dribble speed be this fast!”
No one could catch up with Joo Ji-tae’s incredible speed, carrying the ball and sprinting.
Rather than a player sprinting without the ball, the situation was even stranger with a player dribbling and running faster.
Joo Ji-tae finally crossed the half-line and faced Bayern Munich’s center-back Vicente Fontan after only three seconds since he started dribbling.
Although Giovanni Rotero, the side defender who remained in his own half just in case, and center-back Vicente Fontan rushed to surround Joo Ji-tae—
“What…?”
“Huh!?”
At that moment, Ju Ji-tae, charging with full force, felt a jolt in his body.
Even if it was just a moment, Munich’s proud midfielder, Bixente Pons, crushed his backside against the swaying center of gravity, and Giovanni Rotter, relatively small but with good balance, extended his leg while entangled in a twisted step. However, Ju Ji-tae’s foot was faster than that.
A step-over was followed by a La Croqueta.
“This is insane!?”
The one to welcome Ju Ji-tae, who pushed aside the final defender, was Munich’s goalkeeper, Juan Euber.
In his mid-180s, Juan Euber, with an unbelievable skill for someone of his build, was there, captivated by the Munich goalkeeper’s agility.
And that’s why, in the last moment, unable to properly react to Ju Ji-tae’s shooting with a relaxed leg, he conceded a goal, but at that moment, no one could blame Juan Euber.
It was already beyond technique or skill… it was close to being bizarre.
* * *
“What in the world is this…”
“It’s unbelievable even after seeing it. This… is truly an unbelievable moment.”
From Noble mtl dot com
At the moment Ju Ji-tae’s equalizer exploded, the once deafening Allianz Arena and the broadcasting room fell into silence.
But that was only for a moment.
“G-G-Goooaal!! My goodness!! What in the world… What on earth is this!? An unbelievable wonder goal has happened!!”
“The hero of this wonderful goal is Ju Ji-tae! The boy from Korea successfully scores an incredible goal that will forever remain in football history!”
With the shouts of the commentators, the spectators gathered in the Allianz Arena rose one by one, starting to applaud.
No matter the opposing team, if you were a football fan, you couldn’t help but show respect for such a play.
“Ah… applause echoes in the Allianz Arena.”
“The audience is giving a standing ovation! It’s really… a truly moving moment.”
The turning point came then.
“Huh? What’s this? Ju Ji-tae suddenly sitting down and touching his knee. Oh, he’s signaling to the bench!”
Nonchalantly standing and seemingly enjoying the standing ovation from the audience, Ju Ji-tae sat down and began massaging his knee.
* * *
“Darn it, this is why I tried to be careful.”
Due to the pain felt in his knee and the slight cracking sound at the last moment, he couldn’t properly release the shot.
Fortunately, thanks to the goalkeeper’s delay, the ball went in… but his knee was burning.
“What… Ji-tae! Are you okay!?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. It’ll be okay with some ice treatment.”
Familiar yet unfamiliar sensations danced through Ju Ji-tae as he laughed it off.
