Some of the star players who earned recognition at the 2018 World Cup in Russia are the wild cards for the 18th Asian Games.

Image source – Daily Sports

On August 8, the players for Korean’s national soccer team posed in Paju ahead of the Jakarta Palembang 2018 Asian Games.

As with the World Cup, Son Heung-min (26, Tottenham), Cho Hyun-woo (27, Daegu) Hwang Ui-jo (26, Osaka), Lee Seung-woo (20, Verona) are the expected wild cards. With their performance in the last international competition, many are paying attention to how there will perform against other teams.

Additionally, should the team win, their victory can lead to a full military exemption. In turn, this means that the athletes won’t have to worry about taking a two-year hiatus from their sport and from their team. This is something that many sports industry insiders are hoping will happen to Son Heung-min.

Son has spent the majority of his professional career abroad in Europe playing for some of the best teams in the world. Likewise, he is also arguably the most recognizable South Korean in the world.

In addition to the cloud of military enlistment hanging over the competition, the Asian Games makes another milestone. Both South and North Korea plan to compete in some events as a united team under the title “Korea” and will stand together under a united flag for the opening and closing ceremonies.

The move follows the monumental meetings between the two countries’ leaders earlier this year.

 

 

Original article

Translated by O.C

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