Uli Stielike (68, Germany), former coach of the national soccer team, looked back on Korean soccer.

Coach Stielike watched several matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He was even briefly caught on the screen of YouTuber ‘Kwak Tube’ during the Korean game. Coach Stielike was invited by FIFA and walked around the Qatar World Cup wearing a suit.

I also had an interview with Spanish media ‘Infobae’ on the 15th (Korean time). Coach Stielike said, “I was impressed by the round of 16 match between Korea and Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar. Although Korea lost to Brazil, they fought really well.”

Director Stielike put the significance of keeping the ‘Korean style’ to the end. He said, “Regardless of the level of the opposing team, Korea always played the same style no matter what team it faced. It was truly amazing,” he praised. As coach Stielike said, Korea maintained the build-up style from three group stage matches (Uruguay, Ghana, Portugal) to the round of 16 (Brazil).

Stielike said, “I coached half of the Korean players who participated in the Qatar World Cup for three and a half years. These are sincere players who always do their best.” Coach Stielike led the Korean national soccer team from 2014 to 2017. At that time, Son Heung-min, Kim Young-kwon, Jung Woo-young, Hwang Ui-jo, Kim Jin-soo, and Kim Seung-gyu were coached by Stielike.

Korea sacked coach Stielike and held the 2018 World Cup in Russia under Shin Tae-yong. In a 2-0 win against Germany, he wrote ‘The Miracle of Kazan’. This World Cup in Qatar was led by coach Paulo Bento. South Korea made history in the round of 16 for the first time in 12 years since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. 스포츠토토

He also evaluated the sluggishness of his home country, Germany. Germany was placed in Group E along with Japan, Spain and Costa Rica in the group stage. After losing 1-2 to Japan in the first match of the group stage, they drew 1-1 with Spain in the second match. In the third match, they beat Costa Rica 4-2, but were eliminated after finishing third in the group. Following the 2018 World Cup in Russia, they failed to advance to the round of 16 for the second time in a row.

Coach Stielike said, “Germany lost to Japan without showing their strengths. dissappointed. Coach Hanz Flick’s tiki-taka tactics are not compatible with German football. He was asleep throughout the competition. All three group stage matches looked weak.”