Jeonbuk’s Wish, “Ulsan! Run to the top while you’re at it.”

It is a four-character idiom that comes to mind when you look at the current Jeonbuk Hyundai. It feels regrettable that he cannot find a way out of the embarrassing situation. The ending in the first leg of the semifinal round of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League 2023-2024 season, which took place on the 17th (local time), turned out to have put Jeonbuk in a more tight spot.

It was Jeonbuk that commanded the K-League and the Asian market. He was the king of the K-League by building a golden tower of nine championships, including five consecutive losses (2017-2021), which no one had achieved. He was also a prestigious player in Asian club soccer, with two wins (2006, 2016) and one runner-up (2011) in the ACL.

However, that imposing image is missing now, and there is no way to find it. He took humble steps in both the K-League and the ACL, which seriously hurt his pride.

In the K League 1 2024 season, he is currently ranked 10th as of the 7th round. It is the beginning of the season when he once fell to the bottom (rounds 5-6). On the 6th, he was forced into the abyss to the point where he even stepped down as head coach himself, taking responsibility.

The ACL also seems to be no different. The round of 16 teams in February was fine. It beat the Pohang Steelers (1 win, 1 draw, 3-1) and advanced to the quarterfinals. That was it. In the quarterfinals in March, Hyundai staged a showdown (one draw, 1 loss, 1-2).

The ticket to the semifinals, which was lost to Ulsan HD, has become a painful blow to Jeonbuk. It has become a “collapse of fate” that cannot be pioneered by one’s own power. His aspiration to qualify for the 2025 FIFA Mundial de Clubez (MDC), which is bigger than the ACL, is now in vain. He might lose the MDC ticket, which he almost had in his hand. As if he were looking at the roof of a dog chasing a chicken, he is in a difficult situation as he has no choice but to wait and see how other teams’ confrontation will end.

Disaster always comes at the same time. Jeonbuk is facing a situation where it is trying to understand the Korean proverb, “A flower does not go alone.” Winning the right to compete at the MDC finals, which can stand on par with some of the world’s most prestigious clubs, could have been a turning point. However, Jeonbuk is feeling frustrated now that the situation is not favorable.

The MDC, which will be ambitiously planned by FIFA and introduced next year, is expected to open a new world club football tournament. The existing FIFA Club World Cup is an expanded and reorganized stage, and it is the first yard to determine the true existence of the world club. It is expected to be a battlefield where many powerful players around the world who dream of becoming peaceful will throw up. 유흥알바

FIFA has significantly expanded its culture to meet the goal of its creation. Only the winner of each continental federation participated in the World Cup, which had been vying for the strongest team in the world, and the number of participating teams has drastically increased from seven to 32. Over the past four years, the FIFA has allowed top-ranked teams based on their four-year achievements to qualify.

As a result, a total of four tickets have been allocated to the AFC. With the first leg of this season’s ALC semifinal, the three winners have been confirmed. Al-Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia), which won the title for the 2021 season, and the Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), which won the title for the 2022 season, each took the top spot. In addition, Ulsan won one ticket based on its four-year career performance, regardless of its win this season. The last ticket left will go to the club that made it to the top this season. If one of the above three teams wins, the second-ranked team will take over the ticket (see chart).