Swansea City forward, Eom Ji-sung (Eom) appeared for his country South Korea at this years World Cup. Friend of this site, Joel Kim (@KNTfootball) who we have worked closely with before has requested we bring this interview to the Indy masses, so here it is.

Q: What did it actually feel like to be on the pitch at the World Cup?

A: To be honest, when you’re actually out there playing, it doesn’t quite feel like the World Cup. It only really hits you before and after the match. This time, the entire squad stood together in the center to sing the national anthem. Hearing all those people singing along, the sound echoing through the stadium—I got incredibly choked up while singing.

Even now, it still hasn't fully sunk in. I used to be someone who watched the World Cup on TV, so the fact that I actually played on that stage myself doesn't feel real. It feels like it all just passed by like a dream. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the results that the Korean public, the squad, and everyone wanted, so I still feel very sorry about that.

Because the stage didn't quite feel real while playing, I think I actually felt less nervous. It just felt like playing a friendly match in a massive stadium packed with fans. I’m not the type to overthink things when entering the pitch or training, so I think that trait allowed my style of play to stand out as a strength.

Tactical Instructions and Team Chemistry
Q: What specific instructions did the coaching staff give you?

A: The manager and coaches asked me to create aggressive situations on the flank—whether through 1v1 breakthroughs, crosses, or taking shots. I thought a lot about how I really needed to deliver on that front to help the team.

Truthfully, when I put that cross in, I wasn't looking directly at Gue-sung (Cho Gue-sung). It was more of an agreement we had made. We promised each other that if I drove inside on a 1v1 dribble, I would cross it to a specific spot without looking, so he needed to be there. We had talked about that before the match and practiced it in training, and it turned out to be a situation where everything aligned perfectly. It was unfortunate that the keeper made a great save and it didn't end up as a goal, but I feel no regrets because I know I played my absolute heart out.

Q: How did you adjust to your defensive responsibilities?

A: Defensively, it felt a bit unfamiliar to me because I don't have a lot of experience, but the veterans really helped guide my positioning. I talked a lot on the pitch with Min-jae (Kim Min-jae) and Young-gwon (Kim Young-gwon). Even after the match, I’d ask, "Hyung, I did this in that situation, was that right? Should I not do it that way?" Min-jae would share feedback based on his experience and tell me exactly what he thought, which I was incredibly grateful for and helped me tremendously during the games. For example, he’d talk about my positioning when the ball was on the opposite flank. Since I’m an attacker, I tended to stay quite high up, but he reminded me that when the ball is on the other side, we need to be prepared and set up defensively ahead of time. Min-jae's voice is also incredibly loud out there!

Q: You spent a lot of time around Son Heung-min during the tournament. What was that like?

A: It wasn't so much about getting advice, but rather that I stuck right by Heung-min's side and followed him around the entire time during the World Cup. He is a player I admire so much and such an incredible athlete, so I wanted to see what I could learn just by being around him. I wanted to figure out how he trains and what kind of mindset he maintains to be the player he is. Heung-min also approached me first and looked after me so well, which was a huge help.

When we do shooting drills or attacking training, you realize he didn't become the Premier League Golden Boot winner for nothing. For average players, if you take ten shots, maybe two or three go in well. But for Heung-min, even on a bad day, eight or nine out of ten find the exact corner he intends. Seeing that in person, I thought, "Wow, just how much training and practice must he have done to command the ball exactly how he wants, and with both feet?" It made me realize I want to become like that, so I kept sticking by him to practice, and he gave me a lot of feedback.

Q: Is it true you originally wanted to be a goalkeeper?

A: When I was just a regular student, I loved playing as a goalkeeper on the school's dirt pitch. Then in 2010, when the South Africa World Cup happened, I watched Jung Sung-ryong and thought, "Wow, I want to do that so badly." I even transferred schools to a different football club in the region to pursue it seriously. But once there, I realized that realistically, my height was going to make it very difficult. It was a sad moment when I had to give up the goalkeeper path, but looking back now, it was the best choice I could have made. I'm always grateful to my parents for helping me transfer schools back then.

Q: How do you handle tough periods or slumps in your career?

A: Going abroad, there are so many players who are faster and physically stronger than me, so playing in a lot of matches allowed me to figure out on my own how to survive in that environment. Every player goes through both great moments and incredibly tough times, like a slump. But during those times, instead of desperately trying to force things to go well, I just endured. I told myself to just grit my teeth and let the time pass, and things would naturally get better. By quietly enduring like that, before I knew it, I found myself climbing back up and producing good performances and results again.

Ji-sung (Park Ji-sung) once visited me and shared some words that stuck with me—he mentioned that he used to praise himself for even the smallest details.

Q: What are your primary targets moving forward?

A: Right now, because I am currently playing in the second division, my biggest ambition is to play in the Premier League. But looking at the immediate situation, my most crucial goal is winning the gold medal at the Asian Games. I feel that doing well there will create the conditions necessary for me to achieve the long-term goals I just mentioned.

Because the Asian Games is a massive tournament that can completely change the lives of all the players involved, the motivation is on another level. Mentally, if we as players tightly unite and become one, I fully believe we can produce great results.

When I was at the World Cup, the older players all had experience playing in the Asian Games. They didn't micro-manage or intervene technically since everyone there is already a quality player, but they heavily emphasized the mental and psychological side of navigating the difficult situations we will face. When I join the squad, I'll be one of the older players going as a Wild Card, so I've been thinking a lot about how I need to firmly lead and guide the younger players. I’m usually not that type of personality, but I feel the absolute necessity to change for this specific stage, so that is my plan.

Q: What kind of player do you ultimately want to be remembered as?

A: I grew up nurturing my own dreams while watching Heung-min when I was young. Moving forward, my goal—or rather, my ultimate dream—is to become an idol for young players. I want to be the player who automatically comes to mind when people think of an attacker or a side winger, so that when kids start playing football, they say, "I want to be just like him."

Photographs : Kim Jin-kyung