Jeonbuk ready to match Club America at Club World Cup
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By John Duerden
Exactly ten years after Jeonbuk Motors played Club America in the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan, the two teams meet at the same stage in the same tournament in the same country. The only difference is that Sunday’s game takes place in Osaka rather than Tokyo.
Just two weeks after winning the Asian Champions League for the second time, Jeonbuk meets the Mexicans in the annual event that pits the champions of each of FIFA’s six confederations against each other.
No Asian team has won any of the past 12 editions with Europe taking eight and South America, the remaining four. In fact, Jeonbuk would make history just by making the final.
It is not easy. Club America has plenty of experience and talent. Based in Mexico City and its famous Azteca Stadium, the team has won 12 Mexican league titles and no less than seven Champions League trophies from the CONCACAF region that covers North and Central America as well as the Caribbean.
Jeonbuk’s defense will have to watch out for Oribe Peralta, an accomplished goal scorer for the Mexican national team and while Jeonbuk has an experienced coach in Choi Kang-hee, Ricardo La Volpe took Mexico to the knockout stage of the 2006 World Cup.
“America is a good team but we are a good team too,” said Choi. “We know they want to win this game as much as we do.”
A decade ago America defeated Jeonbuk 1-0. This is a stronger Jeonbuk team than then. Even with injuries to winger Ricardo Lopes and defender Kim Hyung-il, it has more strength in depth and is more battle-hardened.
Lee Jae-sung in midfield may be about to head to Europe and this would be a great stage to show what he can do. There is Kim Bo-kyung, the veteran striker Lee Dong-gook and Brazilian maestro Leonardo, the second highest goal scorer in the 2016 Asian Champions League.
In truth, Jeonbuk is unlikely to be lifting the trophy in Yokohama on December 18. Getting to the final would be a fine achievement. To do that, America must be defeated and then comes the most immediate prize.
If the Greens get past the Mexicans then they face perhaps the biggest club in the world, in the semifinal. Real Madrid has won a record 11 European championships and boasts world famous players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. The coach is the legendary French player Zinedine Zidane.
To be on the same field as these stars would mean that the tournament is a success for the Koreans. To face such a storied team is an unusual opportunity for any Asian team. To win would be something else.
Coach Choi is aware of the dangers of distraction ahead of the opening game with America. To think too much about the Spanish giant would be folly. “We are just thinking about America,” he said. “We will take each game as it comes.”
After ten years, it is a huge coincidence that Jeonbuk takes on the same team on the same date. All Korean and other Asian fans will be hoping that the result is different.