월드컵에서 사상 최악의 졸전을 펼친  홍명보 호의 귀국 장면은 한국 축구를 향한 국민의 분노를 압축적으로 보여주는 것이었다.

홍명보 감독이 이끄는 한국 축구대표팀은 30일 오전 인천국제공항을 통해 입국했다.

 2014 브라질 월드컵에서 '대회의 격을 떨어뜨린다'는 외신의 평가가 나올  정도로 무기력한 경기력을 보이며 단 1승도 거두지 못한 홍명보호를 향해 '파이팅'을 외 친 축구팬은 극히 적었다.

일부 소녀팬들 20여명이 자신이 응원하는 선수들의 이름을 외쳤을 뿐 단복을 곱게 차려입은 선수들을 향한 국민의 눈길은 싸늘했다.

우연히 공항을 찾은 몇몇 '올드' 축구팬들은 "대표팀이 뭘 잘했다고 기자들이 이렇게 몰려들었나요"라고 물으며 혀를 끌끌 찼다.

코칭스태프와 선수들이 기념 촬영을 위해 한 쪽에 서자 축구팬 조모(42)씨가  "엿 먹어라! 엿 먹어!"라고 외치며 사탕 모양으로 포장된 노란색 호박엿 수십개를 집어던졌다.

그를 향해 손가락질하는 시민은 찾아볼 수 없었다.

홍 감독과 주장 구자철, 손흥민의 약식 기자회견이 끝나자 조씨는 '근조.  한국 축구는 죽었다!!'라고 검은 글씨로 쓰인 플래카드를 보란듯이 펼쳐보였다.

자신을 평범한 회사원이라고 소개한 그는 "인맥으로만 선수를 기용한 끝에 월드 컵에서 실패했다"면서 "누군가 책임을 져야한다. 홍 감독에게 '너는 영웅이 아니고 죄인이다'라고 말하고 싶었다"고 엿을 던진 의미를 설명했다.(연합)

 

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Korean World Cup team returns home after early exit

The South Korean men's football team returned home early Monday following an early exit from the FIFA World Cup in Brazil with a winless record.

The 23-man squad, coached by Hong Myung-bo, arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, from Sao Paulo via Los Angeles a little before 5 a.m. to little fanfare.

South Korea, which had set out to reach the knockout phase in South America, finished last among four nations in Group H with one draw and two losses. It opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw with Russia, but lost to Algeria 4-2 and then to Belgium 1-0.

Belgium and Algeria reached the knockout stage from the group.

This was South Korea's first winless World Cup since the 1998 tournament in France, when the Asians also had one draw and two losses.

Prior to the tournament, South Korea had lost two consecutive friendlies by a combined score of 5-0. The hard-fought draw with Russia appeared to improve the team morale for the South Koreans, but Algeria crushed them with three first-half goals in an easy victory.

South Korea then faced a must-win situation against Belgium, which, with a spot in the round of 16 already clinched, rested a handful of regulars.

Belgium also went down a man when midfielder Steven Defour received a red card near the end of the first half, but South Korea failed to capitalize on the man advantage, as Jan Vertonghen netted the 78th minute winner.

Head coach Hong Myung-bo and his players alike were apologetic after their poor performance, as frustrated fans at the airport threw candies in their direction.

Captain Koo Ja-cheol told reporters the young team couldn't handle the pressure of the World Cup. South Korea fielded its youngest-ever World Cup squad, with an average age of about 26 years old.

"We did our best, but we found it difficult to play the way we wanted once the tournament began," Koo said. "We gained valuable experience, but it's still quite disappointing."

Koo said the players will still have to put in their work to make the most of their experience.

"I don't think having played in this year's World Cup will guarantee better results at the next World Cup in Russia (in 2018)," Koo said. "We all feel that we have to show something four years later."

Son Heung-min, easily the best player for South Korea in the group stage, said he wants to put the bad memories behind him quickly.

"I am so devastated, and as a member of this team, I feel responsible for the poor results," said Son, who was named the Man of the Match against Russia and scored one of Korea's two goals against Algeria.

"It was more humid in Brazil than we'd anticipated," Son said, when asked if conditioning had been an issue for the team. "But there's no room for excuses. We didn't prepare well enough, and that's why we didn't reach the knockout stage." (Yonhap)