“The first goal is to win the first game against Colombia. After that, we want to bring one game after another. The end goal is to go as high as possible.”
Colin Bell, the head coach of the Korean women’s national soccer team, has bold ambitions. Leading the national team to the 2023 Australia/New Zealand Women’s World Cup, he said at a New Year’s press conference held at the Seoul Jongno-gu Soccer Hall on the 26th, “I think the Korean national team is a good team with competitiveness.” revealed
Belho will participate in the World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 this year. The ‘primary goal’ is to advance to the round of 16 for the first time in eight years since the Canadian tournament. Group composition is not bad. Korea is in Group H along with Germany, Morocco and Colombia, and it is said that it is worth a try, except for Germany, which is called a traditional powerhouse.
Germany, ranked second in the FIFA rankings, won the Women’s World Cup in 2003 and 2007, and recorded an overwhelming record of 9 wins and 1 loss in the European qualifiers ahead of the World Cup. Colombia (27th) will be in the World Cup finals for the third time after 2011 and 2015. Although the world ranking is low, he won the runner-up in the 2022 Copa America Femenina. Morocco is going to the World Cup for the first time. Morocco, ranked 76th, is also the second lowest ranked team after Zambia (81st) among the finalists.
The Korean national team, ranked 15th in the world, can advance to the round of 16, where only the top two teams advance if they defeat Colombia and Morocco. Coach Bell said, “Germany has strengths in physicality and organization, and Morocco has strengths in technology.”
Bell said that information on his opponents was already underway. He explained, “In the future, each country will have an A match, and we will continue to know the skills of the opponents and prepare for the finals.” 안전놀이터
The atmosphere is good. Coach Bell, who became the first foreign coach in the history of the women’s national team, changed the team. After taking office in October 2019, the players’ stamina was raised through intensive physical training, and the defensive organization was also refined. The constitutional improvement was successful. The national team did not easily collapse even against strong opponents, and achieved the highest ever runner-up finish at the Asian Cup held last year.
Bellho will start training for the first time in the new year in Ulsan on the 30th. On the 16th of next month, he plans to go to England and participate in a tournament hosted by the England Football Association to sharpen his senses against strong European teams such as England (4th), Italy (17th) and Belgium (20th).
Coach Bell said, “I think it will be an opportunity to adapt to the strong players in Europe.” However, even if there are weaknesses and mistakes in this tournament, I want to use them as an opportunity to make up for them before going to the World Cup.”
