My Girlfriend Wants Victory

---

*
Before the match starts.

[Breaking News: The starting lineup for Dortmund and Marseille has been announced.]

The starting lineup for Dortmund and Marseille has been revealed.

[In a crucial match for Champions League Round of 16 qualification, Son Jinho starts, hailed as an irreplaceable asset at Dortmund!]

South Korean football fans erupted in cheers. The name Son Jinho was on the starting lineup.

Although Son Jinho had mostly been a starter in past matches, there was a nagging worry among the fans that he might be left out in this vital game determining Dortmund’s progression to the Round of 16.

But Son Jinho made the starting list!

South Korean football fans felt a surge of national pride seeing their homegrown player, only 16 years old, shine as an irreplaceable starter in a big European league, but at the same time, they felt a bittersweet tinge knowing they couldn’t see him in the national team.

Feeling bitter, football fans began to metaphorically beat up the Football Association and the media again.

[Title: So, what’s the Football Association doing?]
Be nice, run to Jinho and plead on your knees to get him on the national team.

└ Are you crazy? You still believe in the association?
└ Just disband the South Korean Football Association, damn it.

[Title: Is it true a journalist changed their name after the German naturalization scandal? LOL]
That idiot should write an apology instead of changing their name. They’re changing names to avoid backlash for writing articles.

└ Aren’t those news reporters still not posting apologies?
└ Some have, while others are stubbornly refusing.

└ This is honestly a legendary battle of egos.
└ But how did you find out about the journalist changing their name?
└ It turns out that journalist is my ex-girlfriend, LOL.

└ She spread false information and then cursed my bro for the backlash, so I immediately said let’s break up, that bitch, LOL.
└ We were supposed to get married in spring next year, sigh… Life.
└ Ancestors must have helped. You’ll find a better woman, I bet.

└ How do you know your ex-girlfriend changed her name?
└ I saw her profile picture; the name had changed.
└ You check your ex-girlfriend’s profile picture?
└ …You still can’t forget her, huh?

└ At this point, it seems like you didn’t get dumped but rather you were the one dumped?;;
└ The lack of replies suggests you indeed got dumped… Stay strong, buddy.
└ Anyway, since your ancestors helped, don’t go back to hell, okay?

After venting their stress on the Football Association and the media, the football fans quickly jumped to another topic.

[Title: (Live at Signal Iduna Park) Ah, damn it;; it’s so scary. I want to go home.]

(Animated gif of Signal Iduna Park aflame like hell)

By the way, police were out in full force just in case of clashes, wow;;

└ Wow, the fiery vibe is amazing.

└ ManUtdDoc: I want to go see it, too.

└? Aren’t you in Germany, though?
└ ManUtdDoc: Yeah, I am, but my boyfriend says it’s dangerous, so he told me to watch from home, haha.

└ Damn it, couples can go to hell.

└ Boyfriend? I thought ManUtdDoc was a girl?

└ That guy is just a concept; ignore him.

└ For real, he’s right about living in Germany, but everything else is just an act.

└ He constantly claims he’s Son Jinho’s girlfriend on the forums, lol.

└ ManUtdDoc: It’s true, okay;;;

└ By the way, didn’t my bro’s girlfriend appear on TV before?

└ Yeah, she was super pretty, with big boobs…

└ Got any pics?

└ (Screenshot of Son Jinho’s girlfriend, Han Gyeouri, on a TV show.)

└ The future of South Korea looks bright;;

└ ManUtdDoc, you think you’re that goddess?

└ Ah, LOL. Say something, jerk, LOL.

└ Where did ManUtdDoc go?

└ That guy always disappears whenever we talk about my bro’s girlfriend.

└ Looks like he at least has a bit of conscience.

*

In the home team locker room at Signal Iduna Park.

The Dortmund players starting against Marseille were going through their routines in their own ways.

Of course, I was the same.

Whew─!

I was calming my mind while exchanging messages with Gyeouri.

– Gyeouri: (A photo cheering from home.)

– Gyeouri: Let’s win today and Manchester tomorrow! Let’s go to the Round of 16 together!

I paused at Han Gyeouri’s message for a moment.

‘Is it the curse of Manchester?’

That’s right, tomorrow’s match between Manchester United and FC Basel would see Manchester United losing and dropping to the Europa League.

– Gyeouri: Hey, Son Jinho, why are you reading it but not replying?

– Me: Jurgen called, so I couldn’t reply.

– Me: I’ll text you after the match; see you!

– Gyeouri: Okay! Do well in the match! Don’t get injured!

– Me: Haha, got it.

Not long after sending a message to Gyeouri, the match time approached.

“Let’s do our best for the old captain!”

“For Sebastian Kehl!”

“…Thanks! You little punks!”

We stood up and lightly encouraged each other before heading to the entrance tunnel.

“BVB! BVB! Heja BVB!”

Maybe it was because we were getting closer to the ground.

The cheers of the Dortmund fans reached my ears.

‘To make sure our fans’ support is not in vain, let’s give our all for victory today.’

I quietly renewed my resolve.

*

“Whoooosh─!”

“Who’s the German champion?”

“Borussia Dortmund!”

As the last round of the group stage for the Champions League Round of 16 qualification approached, the stadium was packed with spectators.

Dortmund was tied on points with Marseille but was in third place due to head-to-head records.

Since the top two from each group qualify for the Champions League Round of 16, Dortmund had to win against Marseille this time.

The tactical situations of both teams clearly showed in their formations.

Unlike Dortmund, starting in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, Marseille, needing only to draw to progress to the Champions League Round of 16, came out with a defensive double pivot strategy.

“Booooo─! Shameful little frogs!”

“Feigling! Marseille!”

As soon as the match started, the Dortmund fans aggressively booed the sight of Marseille parking the bus with two lines of defense.

[Sebastian Kehl receives the ball and sends a long pass forward. Shot by Lucas Barrios! Superb save by Mandanda, the goalkeeper!!]

Dortmund came out strong against Marseille right from the start, and the home fans passionately supported them.

[Counterattack from Marseille! Mats Hummels’ rash pressure! Lucho Gonzalez easily shakes off Hummels and looks for the wide André Ayew!]

“DROIT AU BUT!!”

The distant cheers of Marseille fans echoed as they finally launched an offensive.

[André Ayew spots Rémy penetrating into the penalty box! Cross!!]

Right as Marseille was about to seal their sharp counterattack.

[Son Jinho! Suddenly emerging Son Jinho successfully clears the ball out of the goal line!!]

Simultaneously with Marseille’s counterattack, Son Jinho, who had returned to the defensive line with all his might, successfully executed a clean sliding tackle to send the ball out of the goal line.

“Good job, kid!”

Roman Weidenfeller cheered for Son Jinho’s dramatic save and immediately blasted Mats Hummels for causing the crisis.

“Mats, you punk! What the hell were you doing yesterday that you’re so out of it!”

Mats Hummels raised his hand apologetically toward Roman Weidenfeller.

[The game is slowly heating up. Son Jinho’s directional change. Mario Götze gets the ball! He passes to Sebastian Kehl.]

Then, in the 39th minute of the first half.

“Watch out!”

Marseille’s defensive midfielder, Stéphane Mbia, committed a rough tackle on Sebastian Kehl, who had the ball near the halfway line.

“Ahhhhh─!”

Sebastian Kehl screamed as he went down to the ground after being hit on the ankle.

“Don’t you have any sense of camaraderie, you pig?!”

As the excited Dortmund players charged at Stéphane Mbia, referee Howard Webb blew his whistle to calm the players down.

[Ah, referee Howard Webb makes an utterly incomprehensible decision. He gives a warning to Stéphane Mbia for hitting the ankle instead of a red card.]

“Enough! If you keep protesting, I’ll give you a warning!”

The players were again riled up by the incomprehensible decision from the referee, as he threatened the protesting Dortmund players with yellow cards.

Quickly, the team doctor that was swiftly brought onto the pitch examined Sebastian Kehl’s condition and signaled to the bench.

[Oh… Thank goodness. Sebastian Kehl’s injury isn’t as serious as it could have been, so he’s still able to walk.]

[With assistance, Sebastian Kehl leaves the field.]

[…]!! Just before the injured Sebastian Kehl exits the field, he hands the captain’s armband to Son Jinho!!

[Receiving the captain’s armband, Son Jinho! He puts on the armband right away!!]

[Just at the age of 16, Son Jinho dons the captain’s armband of Dortmund! We might just be witnessing the legendary childhood live!!]