Legacy of 2002 is not just that one glorious summer

Seol Ki-hyeon celebrates after scoring an equalizer against Italy at the 2002 World Cup. Seol announced his retirement last week. / Yonhap

Men of the 2002 World Cup still inspire the next generation of potential stars with their exploits

By John Duerden

It was one of the most exciting and dramatic moments in the history of Asian football.

It was June 2002 and South Korea was hosting Italy in the second round of the World Cup. The Azzurri was leading 1-0 with three minutes remaining when Seol Ki-hyeon turned in the area and sent a low shot into the European net. Daejeon World Cup Stadium erupted with relief and joy. Around 30 minutes later, it was, if possible, even louder, as Ahn Jung-hwan scored the winning goal.

Ahn hung up his boots a few years ago and now Seol has called it a day. Now 36, he will not be in action for Incheon United in the new K-League season but has become the new interim coach of Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. If the forward's coaching career is as successful and varied as his playing time, it will be very interesting indeed.

Back in 2002 Seol was, along with Ahn, the only European-based player in the roster of 23 -- he was one of the first Asian players to really make it in Europe. Starting out in Belgium with Royal Antwerp, he moved to Brussels-based powerhouse Anderlecht and was active in the UEFA Champions League. He caught the eye of Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English second division.

Good performances there led to a move to join Reading FC in the English Premier League in the summer of 2006. Seol started that season very well, a spectacular winning goal at West Ham United as a highlight, and then at the end of the season moved to Fulham in London. After struggling for playing time, he had a short spell at Saudi Arabian giant Al Hilal before coming to play in the K-League for the first time in 2010 with Pohang Steelers, Ulsan Hyundai and finally Incheon.

It is not quite the end of an era as there are still four players from 2002 still active but there is not long left now. Hyun Young-min, Cha Du-ri, Lee Chun-soo and Kim Byung-ji (soon to be 45!) are all still playing. These last survivors of 2002 will one day soon follow Seol and the others and become coaches or media personalities. The legacy they leave is not just that one glorious summer but the inspiration we see in the new generation today.

The current version of the national team is much more international in its experience, reputation and outlook and this is no accident. The men of 2002 showed the world that Koreans, and Asians, can beat anyone. The door to Europe at that time was almost closed but events of 13 years ago made it a little easier for players from the east to push it open and once it is open, it will never close again. Soon after, Park Ji-sung was winning English and European titles.

The likes of Ki Sung-yueng and Son Heung-min are now in the English Premier League and Bundesliga, respectively, and have talked of how the exploits of those Taeguk Warriors helped them to dream of becoming professional football players. These players are now known around the world and are, in turn, inspiring the next generation of potential stars with their exploits.

Seol Ki-hyeon can look back at a great career and more than 80 appearances for his national team. He can also take comfort from the fact that what he did in 2002 will never be forgotten, the legacy is all around him and will continue to help Korean football for years to come.