[Sports Analysis] World Cup players rise above stress of the moment

Ahn Jung-hwan(left), Lee Chun-soo(center) and Park Ji-sung.

Big-league experience a major asset

Players of any sport can easily lose confidence in a big match, where tens of thousands of fans shout and chant from the sidelines. But others show quite a different level of performance under such circumstances. The roar of the crowd injects them with the confidence needed to command the game, in spite of how nervous they must be. What explains such a difference?

A partial answer can be found by looking at the World Cup first-round Group G match on Tuesday between South Korea and Togo. Experts point out that behind the 2-1 victory for South Korea were three players who experienced the so-called "big league" rush, that drive of adrenaline that allowed them to play at the top of their craft. They are Park Ji-sung, Lee Chun-soo, and Ahn Jung-hwan.

Among them, Park, who plays for Manchester United in the English Premier League, is the most conspicuous player on the field. When Park first joined South Korea’s soccer squad again for training for the 2006 games, he was in bad shape, apparently feeling the effects of playing for months in one of the toughest leagues in the world. Worse yet, he sprained his ankle during training. Nevertheless, Park showed one of the most outstanding performances during the match against Togo. Asked about the secret of his confidence, his answer was simple. "Experience." He had survived the cutthroat competition in one of the world’s best leagues, and the lesson he learned from the experience seemed to be in his blood as he played for his native country.

Lee Chun-soo is another player who contributed to the first-ever victory away from home for South Korea. Lee, formerly of the Spanish league, was at the forefront of South Korea’s advance to the semifinals during the 2002 World Cup. His free-kick skills are second to none in the national squad, a formidable weapon for coach Dick Advocaat to harness. Lee’s experience of life in the big leagues, like Park’s, is what experts believe gave him confidence on the ground. "I imagine winning the game even before stepping onto the field," Lee said.

Ahn Jung-hwan, who scored the South Korean team’s "golden goal" against Italy four years ago, which led South Korea to the semifinals, also proved experience is what makes a difference. Before the 2002 World Cup, Ahn was the first Korean player to set his foot in Italy, playing in another one of the world’s toughest leagues. Ahn scored a from-behind goal in the match against Togo and was chosen as the game’s most valuable player.