“Pohang is a pervert team”… ‘First goal to win in 2013 → recapture the trophy as captain 10 years later’ Kim Seung-dae’s admiration

Pohang won the 2023 Hana OneQ FA Cup with a 4-2 victory over Jeonbuk Hyundai on Thursday afternoon at the Pohang Steel Yard.

It was Pohang’s first FA Cup title in 10 years. Pohang last won the FA Cup in 2013, with Jeonbuk as their opponent. With chants of ‘AGAIN 2013’, Pohang won a hard-fought 4-2 victory and tied the record for the most titles with five, along with Jeonbuk and Suwon Samsung.

Kim Seung-dae had a breakout season in 2013. He started the final against Jeonbuk and scored the winning goal to seal the title. This season, he took over as Pohang’s captain and lifted the trophy as captain for the first time.레모나토토 도메인

Speaking to the media after the game, Kim said, “I was disappointed with the players because the game didn’t go as well as I thought it would, and I thought it would be difficult, but I was encouraged by the fact that we came right back after conceding. I could see that Jeonbuk was getting tired. They say that when the opponent is struggling, it gives you more strength. I saw that in the second half. Before the game started, I said I didn’t want to go to overtime. They said that if we go to overtime, we will die, but I am grateful that they kept their promise to finish in 90 minutes.”

Pohang had a dominant record against Jeonbuk in the league this season, with three wins and one draw, and it was Pohang who came out on top in the final. Kim Seung-dae said, “Since I was a rookie, I thought that when you play against a team like Jeonbuk, you are above them in terms of individual skills. I think the soccer we want to play is their biggest weakness. When things go well, Jeonbuk always breaks down. We were confident against Jeonbuk.”

Kim Seung-dae added, “The coach always told us to believe in ourselves and trust the players, even when we went to Urawa. We thought we could win if we did well with what he prepared for us. It was also our home. It feels worse when you lose at home. I said, “Let’s run until one of us is in an ambulance. I thanked the coach for the gift.”

Kim Seung-dae on his role as captain: “I was worried at the beginning of the season. I wasn’t very confident and hesitated to be the captain. But the coach said he didn’t know what he was feeling, but he was confident. I think it can’t hurt to listen to him,” he laughed.

“As a captain, I could only talk to the younger players and not give them anything. I was busy playing and taking care of the middle-aged players. The younger players are the same age as me, so there was something lacking. I don’t know about the players, but if they took my words seriously, I think it would still be 90 points.”

“I’m more happy to win today than in 2013. I thought they were going to give me MVP because I’m the captain, but they didn’t (laughs). I want to tell Jong-woo that he was a king today, and he did his part at a crucial moment. It must have been hard for him, but I’m glad he got it.”

Kim Seung-dae is playing a veteran role in his return to Pohang. “I always told the players that we are the best in the K League. Now it’s just a matter of showing it on the pitch, and Pohang definitely has a lot of players who are good at soccer and have good ideas. When I came back to Pohang, there were a lot of players I didn’t know, but in less than a year, I got close to them and they followed me.”

“I had the desire to win the title on the 50th anniversary, so after the league title was secured, I said something bitter to the players for the first time. I told them to wake up and think about what they need to think about now. Since the quarterfinals against Jeju, I told them it was time for someone to shine and show up, and today they came out of hiding,” he said.

Kim Seung-dae concluded, “Pohang always starts with low expectations, but they overcome them. They are a perverted team. The coach always says he’s a coach who’s been through it all. I’ve been through a lot of good and bad things, but Pohang has its own strength,” he said, expressing his love for the team.