Son Heung-min, other Korean stars add excitement to Asian Cup: top organizer
Jassim Al Jassim, CEO of the Asian Cup organizing committee, is seen in this file photo, Jan. 7. Courtesy of the organizing committee of the 18th Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup
In their bid to end a 64-year title drought at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup starting this week, Korea will take a talent-laden squad to the host country, Qatar.
Leading the charge will be captain Son Heung-min, who also wears the armband for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. He's joined by fellow Premier Leaguer Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in.
The presence of these stars makes Korea a favorite, but such players also bring excitement to the 18th edition of the Asian Cup as a whole, according to the tournament's top organizer.
"Son is not only one of the biggest stars in Asia. He's one of the biggest stars in the world," Jassim Al Jassim, CEO of the Asian Cup organizing committee, said in an online interview with Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. "This helps us a lot, of course, during the tournament. The likes of Son and other international players that are playing in Europe that will come to Qatar to play will for sure give some kind of taste to those who will attend the matches in Qatar."
Al Jassim hailed Son's leadership at Spurs, saying the Korean talisman "stood up and took that role of being a captain" after star forward Harry Kane left for Bayern over the summer. Son is (scoring position) with 12 goals this season, already two more goals than he had all of last season.
Al Jassim also reeled off the names of Kim, Hwang and Lee, citing their strong seasons with their respective European clubs and pointing out how they can raise the level of competition at the AFC tournament.
"I think, technically speaking, we will have one of the best Asian Cups ever, with the technical capabilities and how strong the Asian teams are at their peak," he said. "I think decades before, there was a big gap between Asian teams and European teams. We have seen that decrease a lot."
Jassim Al Jassim, CEO of the Asian Cup organizing committee, is seen in this file photo, Jan. 7. Courtesy of the organizing committee of the 18th Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup of the 18th Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup
Al Jassim pointed to some stunning results from Asian teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which was also hosted by Qatar.
Saudi Arabia shocked eventual champions Argentina 2-1 in the group stage — Argentina's only loss in the tournament. Japan took down two European giants, Germany and Spain, in group matches. Korea defeated world No. 9 Portugal by 2-1 in their final group match to advance to the knockout stage.
"I think a lot of the Asian teams and Asian players are up to that level and in a lot of cases even more so," Al Jassim said. "From a technical perspective, for sure, we will have a very, very strong tournament with very good players."
Al Jassim listed Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Qatar, the defending champions, as other title contenders. He said Qatar will be ready to serve as their host.
"All we can do from a local organizing committee is to make sure they have everything available for them to play the best football ever, to have the best stadiums that they will play and to make sure that we give them the best atmosphere to play football as well," he said.
Al Jassim said Qatar will welcome Korean fans with open arms. There is one fewer administrative hurdle for them this time, compared with the World Cup, as the digital Hayya Card, the entry permit to Qatar during the FIFA tournament, is not required. Korean nationals can stay in Qatar without a visa for up to 90 days.
"I think for those that came for the World Cup, I don't need to convince them to come. I think they have experienced enough to want to come back," he said. "I'm speaking to those who did not have the chance to come to the World Cup in Qatar to come experience the country. We're having some fan zones, some activities, a lot of atmosphere, and vibes will be around the tournament itself. So whoever is planning to come, I promise them that they will enjoy their time."
Banners bearing the images of the Asian Cup Mascots are displayed on buildings in the Qatari capital Doha, Jan. 2. AFP-Yonhap
China was the original host of this edition of the Asian Cup, scheduled for June 16 to July 16, 2023. In May 2022, however, the AFC announced that China would not be able to host the competition due to COVID-19.
Five months later, Qatar was named the new host, beating out Korea to become the first country to host three Asian Cups. Because of sweltering conditions in Qatar during the June-July window, the tournament was pushed back to the January-February period for 2024, while retaining the original "2023 AFC Asian Cup" name.
Since the Asian Cup is taking place about a year removed from the FIFA World Cup, Qatar will use seven out of the eight World Cup stadiums during the continental event. Al Jassim said carrying on the legacy from the World Cup is a significant part of the Asian Cup.
"I think it makes total sense for Qatar to host the Asian Cup right after the World Cup. It will be the first Asian Cup to be hosted in World Cup stadiums," he said, adding that human legacy of the World Cup, with many organizing officials having returned to work on the Asian Cup, is also important.
"I think excitement for the Asian Cup all around Qatar and the region is because of the World Cup, and people relating to the World Cup, going to see World Cup stadiums, and wanting to see the environment and the vibes that will be in Qatar during the Asian Cup," Al Jassim said.
Above all else, Al Jassim said he wants to run "a safe tournament," where spectators will enjoy football and "have the times of their lives."
"We have already hosted a lot of tournaments before, and the expectations are very high. That only makes us put more effort and hard work until the delivery of it," he said. "Meeting the expectations and proving that Qatar is always hospitable, is always welcoming people, is always ready to host any kind of tournament, I think this is the goal for us." (Yonhap)