The twelve days of World Cup: 4 days to go...

Think it was only fans and tabloid newspapers which vilified opposition players post-World Cup? Think again.

On home turf in 2002, South Korea were the surprise package. A well drilled and energetic team led by the impressive veteran centre half Hong Myung-Bo and the then-21 year old Park Ji-Sung, whipped into shaped by the evergreen Guus Hiddink, South Korea had the fitness levels to cope with the seering heat, but also the technical ability and speed to unlock some fine defences.

Having topped their group, dumping out Portugal and Poland (most put this down to home advantage), Korea faced Italy. Italy were under par, bit still expected to crush the co-hosts. Indeed, Vieri gave the Italians the lead inside twenty minutes, and Italy were disallowed a further two goals before Vieri inexplicably missed a chance much easier than the one he did put away three minutes from the end, the Koreans had hope, and Seol (who would go on to "do ok" with Wolves and Fulham) equalised with two minutes to go. It was golden goal time, and Ahn Jung-Hwan, who had already missed a penalty to give Korea the lead early on, delivered with two minutes of extra time to go, sending the host country into raptures. Italy were aggrieved, as a couple of decisions, especially regarding their disallowed goals and Francesco Totti's sending off for apparently diving, though replays showed it to be a stone wall penalty, hadn't gone their way. They had a point, but nothing could be taken away from South Korea. Stats showed Korea had 56% possession and more shots than Italy, and could've won handsomely had Buffon not been between the sticks.

Only it could. Goalscorer Ahn Jung-Hwan had plied his trade in Italy for then-Serie A side Perugia, renowned for their maverick chairman Luciano Gaucci, who once signed the son of Colonel Gaddafi, and tried to sign a woman. Gaucci ripped up Ahn's contract, claiming that "I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian football". Although this was retracted and Perugia offered to pay up the rest of Ahn's contract, Ahn nobly declined, saying "I will no longer discuss my transfer to Perugia, which attacked my character instead of congratulating me for a goal in the World Cup". Well played.

Ahn wento to played in Japan's J-League post-World Cup and has remained in the far east ever since, barring one season in Europe which was split between a spell in France with Metz, and one in Germany with Duisburg. South Korea went all the way to the semi-finals before coming unstuck to Germany 1-0. They would finish fourth.



TOMORROW: Back to the start...