Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae - Chapter 211



211 – Finale (Complete)

211

ooouuu!!

The audience, who had been holding their breath, suddenly erupted into cheers. Uruguay’s coach, Blanco, who had been closely watching the touchline, was the same.

“What, no, no! That’s not right! Oh, what is this? That’s a send-off! Hey, hey, what are you doing? Did you really pull out the card? Are you kidding me? That’s not a send-off!”

Just as Fernandinho Alvarez’s 1:1 breakthrough was about to succeed, Joo Ji-tae’s ankle tackle stopped him.

Normally, one would shift their center of gravity to maintain balance, but Joo Ji-tae’s monstrous physical abilities and reflexes made it seem like a different story.

“Intentional foul! That’s a send-off!”

However, the referee pulled out a yellow card.

Blanco jumped up and down, strongly protesting the decision.

If Joo Ji-tae had been sent off, the situation would have become a 1:1 goalkeeper confrontation. But since he committed a foul to block it, it wasn’t unreasonable to expect a send-off.

However, Blanco thought it was as expected.

Could a referee with even a bit of courage send off the world’s top superstar in the World Cup final in just five minutes? It was an impossible judgment.

At least the yellow card was given.

Although it was an unusual situation, considering the pressure on the field, the opponent’s status, and the atmosphere, Blanco thought it was possible to get away with just a verbal warning.

Even so, Blanco’s excessive overreaction was an appeal to the referees.

From noble mtl dot come

This unconscious debt might seem insignificant, but it could become a huge help in critical moments.

“It’s a good start. A warning has been given to Joo Ji-tae from the start, and Albi’s condition is at its best! In this state, Albi can’t be stopped even if he receives a warning!”

Blanco clenched his fist tightly, feeling like he had victory within his grasp.

* * *

[Ah, it’s finally come out as a card.]

[Joo Ji-tae, you’ve received a yellow card in the 5th minute! Is this the first card in this World Cup?]

[That’s right. Surprisingly, Joo Ji-tae, who had never received a card until now, has finally received one in the final.]

The commentators’ voices sped up.

Korea, who had advanced to the final without any major crises, was facing Uruguay. With Fernando Alvarez leading the team, Uruguay had two World Cup championships, but what was their winning record, and what was their greatest attacker?

Naturally, Korea was expected to have the upper hand in this game.

This game, which had started with the expectation that Joo Ji-tae would “be Joo Ji-tae,” had instead created a threatening situation from the start, making Korean fans’ hearts skip a beat.

[Uruguay’s free kick continues! Alfonso Rodriguez kicks it high!! Be careful! The opponent’s center back, mark them!!]

Uruguay’s two 190cm-tall center backs, Mauro Rotangkur and Cesar Manuel Pereira, were threatening players who had each scored a goal with a set piece. Fortunately, the Korean players had surrounded them, and the ball had passed through the two center backs—

[The ball is flying high! That’s right! We need to mark them!! The ball has passed through— Ah, ah… behind, behind, mark Fernando Alvarez, who is coming back!!]

Fernando Alvarez, who had cleverly fallen back and then returned, was caught off guard by a diving header.

The ball was heading straight for the goalpost. The players, the audience, and the commentators all felt like they had seen a goal—

[Go— Ah, no! Joo Ji-tae! Joo Ji-tae has jumped to block it!!]

[That’s it! This is it!! We have Korea’s guardian deity, Joo Jitae, left!! Joo Jitae’s fantastic clear!!]

The ball that Joo Jitae kicked with all his might flew far away, coincidentally heading towards Cho Jaeshin, who was preparing for a counterattack.

[Oh!? The second ball is heading towards Cho Jaeshin – counterattack! It’s a counterattack opportunity! Let’s go!!]

[Cho Jaeshin is running! Cho Jaeshin, Cho Jaeshin is here!! Wow, wow! He’s so fast!! Too fast, Cho Jaeshin!!!]

With an incredible speed that left all the players behind, Cho Jaeshin started a sprint, leaving the ball far behind, and then showed off a fantastic chip shot in front of the goalkeeper.

The goalkeeper jumped high, trying to block the ball, but it slipped through his fingers and eventually found its way into the goal.

It was a goal.

[Cho Jaeshin! As expected, Cho Jaeshin is the one! One-shot, one-kill! Cho Jaeshin, the man who set a new World Cup record, scores Korea’s first goal and the 13th goal of the tournament!!!]

[This is a historic moment, 80 years after Just Fontaine, a new record-holder emerges!!]

As Cho Jaeshin scored the goal, Fernando Alvarez clenched his teeth.

We can’t give up here. Just a little more… just a little more…

From that moment on, the final match became a fierce battle between Joo Jitae and Fernando Alvarez.

Whether Uruguay loses by one goal or two goals, they can’t just sit back and wait for defeat. They have to do something.

On the other hand, Korea has no reason to take risks and launch an attack.

However, with Cho Jaeshin’s record-breaking pace, Korea also didn’t slow down their attack, and the result was a fierce battle between the two teams.

And that was,

[Once again, Joo Jitae and Fernando Alvarez are facing off 1:1!!]

The intense competition between the two players unfolded.

Among the two, who were exchanging glances, Fernando Alvarez, who was more urgent, made the first move. The clash between the forward trying to break through and the defender trying to block him—

[Will he break through again!? Wow! Fernando Alvarez quickly took the ball away with his backheel, but Joo Jitae read it! Joo Jitae kicked it away with his toe!!]

[A long pass is coming! Fernando Alvarez is running! Joo Jitae is chasing after him!! He’s heading the ball first!!]

[Fernando Alvarez shoots!! Ah~ the goalkeeper’s incredible save! Joo Jitae did a great job of keeping up with him!!]

The game was getting more and more intense.

“Oh, nice. But it was too obvious.”

“…Damn it!”

“Hmm, no way, no way. You need to try harder, friend.”

Although he was jokingly teasing his opponent, Joo Jitae felt cold sweat dripping down his back.

“That was really dangerous.”

He was fooled by the fake shot and almost gave away a scoring opportunity. Luckily, the goalkeeper’s last-ditch effort saved the day, but it was a close call.

Joo Jitae realized that Fernando Alvarez’s play was getting better and better, just like his prime days.

The two players’ intense battle continued throughout the first half, with the game’s intensity constantly rising.

[Wow… what just happened? Fernando Alvarez’s incredible touch changed the direction of the ball several times, but Joo Jitae finally blocked it!!]

[Amazing! Both players are really amazing.]

As the fierce battle between the two players continued to intensify—

“Damn it. Why are those guys having all the fun? I want to set some records too!”

Cho Jaeshin’s efforts to set a new World Cup scoring record also intensified.

[Wow! Cho Jaeshin breaks through four players and connects with a shot!! But the ball hits the goalpost and bounces back!!]

World Cup Final.

The moment when three people who would dominate the football world in the future established their own unchallenged territories, leaving other players in the dust.

“Why… why! Why can’t I surpass them!!!”

“Ao, damn it. I’m the one setting new records, but why is everyone only looking at them?”

The moment when the overwhelming number one and the number two chasing after him solidified their competitive positions.

Ping, ping, piik—!!

After the game ended, Fernando Alvarez, a devout Catholic, fell to the ground, wailing.

“Father! Why did you create Fernando Alvarez and bring such a monster into the world!!”

Jo Jae-shin’s empathy reached its maximum as he witnessed Fernando’s despair.

Fernando’s gaze trembled as he looked up at the hand reaching out to him.

“You’re…?”

“Mental attacks are tiring. You must have been really frustrated. I know how it feels. But what can we do? It’s our fate as attackers of our generation.”

“Fate…?”

“Yes, fate.”

“Hmm, hmm. Is that so? Is this my fate? Then I have no choice but to accept it. I won’t defy my fate.”

Jo Jae-shin looked down at Fernando Alvarez, who was muttering to himself like a prayer, and smiled wryly.

“Hmm, this guy is really messed up. How much mental damage did he take?”

At that moment, Joo Ji-tae was looking at the stands.

The cheers pouring down from the stadium, the fluttering Taegeukgi, and one person visible among them.

“Slowly….”

“South Korea wins the World Cup for the first time in history!!”

“South Korea defeats Uruguay 3:0 to win the championship!!”

“Jo Jae-shin writes history! He breaks the record for most goals scored in a single World Cup, set by Just Fontaine 80 years ago!!”

“(Breaking news) Joo Ji-tae makes a shocking statement during the winning interview!!”

“Joo Ji-tae publicly proposes to his girlfriend during the World Cup winning interview!!”

* * *

“Hmm.”

Fernando Alvarez scanned the crowded entrance.

The wedding scene in Korea or Uruguay looked similar. Fernando thought it was fortunate and checked his attire before heading inside.

“Hmm?”

Then, he discovered a strange line.

Curious, he observed and found that people were writing their names and putting something in an envelope before entering.

“What’s that?”

The manager, who had disappeared, soon returned with an answer.

“It’s congratulatory money? Such a tacky… This is the culture of this country? Giving as much as you’re close to… Hmm, yes, it’s a good culture.”

Fernando Alvarez, who quickly adapted to the situation, thought for a moment before instructing the manager to bring him a check.

“It’s as much as you’re close to. Huh, yes. Joo Ji-tae, is this a test for me? Good. I’ll accept it. I’ll let you know that I’m the number two.”

On the blank check, Fernando Alvarez’s hand swiftly wrote a number.

The manager’s eyes widened in surprise. No, everyone who knew Fernando Alvarez and was watching him was astonished.

After all, rumors spread like wildfire.

The news reached Joo Ji-tae’s ears in an instant, while he was busy preparing for his wedding.

“What? Who’s coming? …What? How much? 30 billion? Not 3 hundred million, not 3 billion, but 30 billion?”

“Damn it. 30 billion wasn’t enough! This sly kid. How much did he spend…!”

Fernando Alvarez, standing next to Jo Jae-sin, who was beside Joo Ji-tae, gritted his teeth.

“Okay, let’s take a shot!”

Click.

The happy smiling Joo Ji-tae and Jo Jae-sin, with ‘Fresh Fernando’ and ‘Jealousy Fernando’ in the background, made for a lovely wedding photo.