My Girlfriend Wants Victory

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The first place to cover the news of Son Jinho’s naturalization in Germany was none other than Japan.

[“Germany wants Son Jinho, ‘the comrade of Shinji Kagawa’, to naturalize!”]

[“Will Son Jinho wear the Germany jersey?”]

The sheer number of Japanese reporters in Germany was on a completely different level compared to South Korea, and a fascinating array of personalities existed among them.

They quickly transmitted articles related to Son Jinho’s naturalization back home, knowing he was a close friend of Shinji Kagawa and had a handsome appearance, earning him many fans in Japan.

It wasn’t even that Son Jinho had actually naturalized; it was just that German media had mentioned the idea of his naturalization once.

[“What if Son Jinho does naturalize? What would the impact be on Japan?”]

What mattered to them was not the boring and clear-cut facts, but rather the gossip that could pique readers’ interest.

[“The limits of South Korea? Korean sports stars escaping to Germany.”]

The article gradually morphed into something more sensational to suit their tastes.

[“Japan accepting naturalized players, while Korea’s own players are trying to leave!”]

└ I hope Son Jinho just naturalizes in Germany like this.

└ A 50-year regression for South Korean football wwwww

└ The tiger of Asia (laughs) wwwww

An outpour of mocking responses from Japanese netizens regarding Son Jinho’s naturalization rumors ensued.

“Wait!? Senpai! There’s news about Son Jinho’s naturalization in Japan?”

Naturally, the Korean reporters who had been listening for news from Japan also caught wind of the rumors of Son Jinho’s naturalization and the reactions from the Japanese.

“What are you doing! Quickly copy and post it! It’s obviously going to get a ton of views!”

Was this during a time when anti-Japanese sentiment was peaking, so they couldn’t lose to Japan?

“Hey! What’s with this title?! It’s boring! How about ‘Son Jinho, the traitor of the nation’? Let’s go with that.”

“Isn’t ‘21st-century Lee Wan-yong Son Jinho’ even better? By the way, Senpai! What about the content of the article?”

“If he naturalizes, write that he’ll be a traitor to our nation and a 21st-century Lee Wan-yong.”

Korean “journalists” began to ignite a sense of mission to not lose to their Japanese counterparts.

[“‘Football’s Lee Wan-yong’ Son Jinho, will he wear the Germany national team jersey and betray the association that nurtured him?”]

The news of Son Jinho’s naturalization breaking out in Japan and the reactions from Japanese netizens were modified to cater to the tastes of Korean journalists.

Although the article was written during commute time, most people had shifted from feature phones to smartphones, allowing them to catch Son Jinho’s piece on their way to work, resulting in a flurry of diverse reactions on online communities.

[“Title: Is the Football Association taking even the players?”]

└ Sigh;; They can’t even play football as well as Germany, and now they’re losing players, too.

└ Why are they whining about losing a player when he’s not even naturalized yet?

└ Isn’t he already naturalized?

└ Yeah;; he’s not naturalized; it’s just that German media mentioned if Son Jinho would play for the Germany national team, and then the Japanese picked up that news and it blew up.

└ The talk about him being a traitor to the nation is just to draw attention. That’s all it was to stir things up.

└ Oh…. Damn those shitty journalists! I was horrified when I saw the title while taking a morning dump at work. By the way, if our brother had been called up to the senior national team sooner, wouldn’t this have happened?

└ For real, why isn’t he being called up while crushing it in Bundesliga?

└ I heard the former association president opposed his call-up. They were worried about his stamina due to being a young talent with a bright future for Korean football.

└ …That might be valid from the association president’s perspective. Park Jisong also retired early from the national team; our brother shouldn’t do the same;;;

└ Still, he should have at least played a match for the senior national teamㅠㅠ

└ But am I the only one wishing our brother would naturalize and play in joyous football?

└ For real lol Honestly, looking at this association, I’d rather tell him to naturalize in Germany.

└ Yeah~ you traitorous bastards can just get lost ^^

Then, three days went by.

*

“The Rising Star of Dortmund, Jinho, naturalizes in Germany!”

“…What is this?”

I sighed while looking at the newspaper article published today.

The rumors about my naturalization that started in Germany, passed through Japan, and then imported to Korea, were now being exported back to Germany through Korea and Japan once again.

Seeing how quickly the fire was spreading, it seemed I needed to have an interview with the media urgently.

If the news about the German Football Association offering me naturalization were to get reported, who knows how far it could escalate.

While I was staring at the newspaper with a serious expression, Gyeouri, who had approached me, asked cautiously.

“So, what about your nationality?”

“Well, I think I’ll just play in Korea?”

I responded nonchalantly.

After considering various factors, it seemed that choosing my home country, Korea, was the best option.

No matter how messed up the Football Association was, it was still the place where I was born and raised, and I had a certain affectionate sentiment towards it.

‘They say one becomes a patriot after going abroad, maybe that’s what’s happening.’

Well, actually, the benefits of naturalizing in Germany weren’t as substantial as I had thought either.

Just five years ago, Gerald Asamoah had retired from the Germany national team due to racism.

Though he established himself as a symbol of breaking racial barriers as a black player in the national team, I had no desire to become an icon of resistance against racism like Gerald Asamoah.

‘It’s not like they’re giving me medicine after giving me a disease; what is this?’

I mean…. I could become an icon of social integration like Zinedine Zidane from France; however, the struggle to reach that point is something anyone could predict.

– Ho-woo: Mino, set up an interview for me. I think I need to get something out there.

Having sent a message to Mino Raiola, I gently patted Gyeouri’s head. I didn’t want to see my loved ones getting hurt due to my decision to naturalize.

[“Jinho unveils his stance on naturalization. ‘It’s true that the German Football Association offered me naturalization. I am incredibly grateful and honored to become part of the German national team, but unfortunately, my identity is Korean, not German. I have no intention of wearing any national team jersey other than that of the Korea national team.’”]

So, I decided to become part of the South Korea National Team by releasing an interview regarding my naturalization with the German media.

‘But why haven’t they contacted me yet?’

For some reason, my only concern, the association, had not reached out to me.

‘Are these bastards scheming something again in silence?’

Their strange silence was making me even more uneasy.

*

A month before Son Jinho’s interview about his naturalization with the German media.

The South Korea Football Association was in utter chaos, in a literal sense.

After the Sapporo disaster, Coach Park KWang-rae was dismissed, and the association president along with senior executives were arrested on charges of embezzlement, plunging the South Korea Football Association into confusion.

[“Shock! South Korea records a draw against Kuwait!”]

The representative team failed to select a head coach and ended up with a horrible performance, resulting in a draw against Kuwait. The citizens were extremely outraged.

[“Angry Red Devils demand reform in the Football Association.”]

[“Is the Football Association going to receive its first audit in six years?”]

As public outrage escalated, even the political sector began mentioning issues with the Football Association, directing attention towards it.

After the arrest of Chairman Jo Yeon-jong, the newly elected Chairman Jeong Do-jun immediately excluded everyone connected to former Chairman Jo and shifted all the blame onto his predecessors.

“What about Choi Gi-hyun? Doesn’t he have to do something?”

During this time, discussions arose regarding Choi Gi-hyun, who was classified as part of Jo Yeon-jong’s faction.

“Do you know how close Son Jinho and Choi Gi-hyun are? Why keep poking at a kid doing well in football overseas? Leave him alone!”

Considering the friendship with Son Jinho, Choi Gi-hyun was able to retain his position as the person in charge of studying abroad.

Thus, the Football Association shifted the blame to all former leaders and their factions, excluding Choi Gi-hyun.

[“Coach Park KWang-rae expresses his grievances: ‘The issue lies not with the association president but with the archaic football governance of the association.’”]

Still, the public’s anger towards the association did not seem to subside.

As the deteriorating public sentiment continued to present pressure in the political sphere.

News of Son Jinho’s naturalization in Germany arrived.

At the moment when the association executives were laughing off the sensationalized articles that baited with clickbait titles, they were shocked by the next news.

[“Shock! Son Jinho, naturalizes in Germany!”]

A piece exported from Korea was once again reported in Germany.

“Isn’t this something that Choi Gi-hyun and Son Jinho concocted? I mean, if there’s no smoke without fire!”

The flustered Football Association heard the truth from Choi Gi-hyun but found it hard to believe.

“Isn’t this just about a personal player? They need to learn to sacrifice for the organization!”

A few suggested using Son Jinho as a scapegoat to get through this crisis.

For them, what was important was not the development of South Korean football but rather the positions they held.

[“Shock! The apartment built by Medieval Construction has collapsed! Construction flaws controversy!”]

Initially, they dismissed the opinions of those who claimed that the facts hadn’t been confirmed yet, but when a construction controversy erupted from the construction company they managed.

In a panic to redirect public attention, they eventually instructed a media campaign against Son Jinho.

[“Shocking insider revelations from the Football Association! Not only was the dismissal of Coach Park KWang-rae out of procedure?”]

[“The unilateral action of former Chairman Jo Yeon-jong led to Son Jinho’s study abroad in Germany.”]

[“Chairman Jeong Do-jun strikes back at Son Jinho? ‘He should have sent a player with patriotism abroad!’”]

Thus, articles planned by the association were pouring out through the media, at a time when public anger was starting to turn towards Son Jinho.

[“Son Jinho, interview with German media. ‘My identity is Korean. I have no intention of wearing any national team jersey other than that of the Korea national team.’”]

The article about Son Jinho’s interview with the German media was reported in the domestic news.