Soccer players from outside East Asia look at Korea, Japan and China with interest. We are also aware of differences between countries.
Italian coach Eugenio Albarella has spent considerable time in Japan in the past. From 2010 to 2014 he worked for the Japanese national team under coach Alberto Zaccheroni. Because of this, it can be seen that he is quite well versed in East Asian football.
Coach Eugenio Albarella recently had an interview with Italian media . In recent years, thanks to Kim Min-jae’s performance, interest in players from East Asia has grown rapidly in Italy. In response, coach Eugenio Albarella explained the strengths and differences of East Asians based on his own experience.
“In the case of Japan, well-trained players are playing games in Germany, England, Belgium, etc. They have a sense of duty and perfectionism. This is also connected to the national team. Korea and Japan have something in common in that they play games as ‘us’. “This is very important in team sports. China, on the other hand, is different. China has a strong ego.”
Coach Eugenio Albarella pointed out that Korea and Japan have a common denominator in that they recognize the importance of the team. Many Korean and Japanese players active in Europe are frequently referred to as ‘team players’ by their team’s coaches. In the case of Korea, Park Ji-sung has always been like that, and Son Heung-min is often followed by the modifier ‘team player’. They all prioritized the success of the team over individual success. The propensity to go one step further for the sake of one’s teammates also leads to the strong organizational power of the national team, which is why Korea and Japan have been implementing the highest level of soccer in Asia for a long time. 안전놀이터
On the other hand, China always suffers from ‘individual play’. Rather than unite and fight, they often scatter and collapse like sand castles on the ground. Coach Eugenio Albarella judged this to be a cultural difference.
China spent a lot of money dreaming of developing football, but even that is a thing of the past. They have created a multinational corps that allows foreigners to be naturalized, but while Korea and Japan are advancing to the round of 16 at the FIFA (International Football Federation) World Cup, they are still repeating the nightmare of not reaching the finals. Recently, it has not been able to keep up with the development of Southeast Asia.