Cho Hyun-woo, the 'best star' looking higher, said, "The heyday that hasn't come yet, we should start celebrating this year."
Cho Hyun-woo, the 'best star' looking higher, said, "The heyday that hasn't come yet, we should start celebrating this year."
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For "Bit Hyun-woo" Cho Hyun-woo (34, Ulsan HD), 2024 was truly a year of achievement. His team Ulsan won the K-League 1's third consecutive K-League 1 MVP award for the first time in 16 years and the second in history, the highest salary for a Korean player in the K-League 1's Best 11 goalkeeper award for eight consecutive years, and the national team's starting point again. He even said, "Happy 2024 will be memorable."
Nevertheless, Cho Hyun-woo says, "My heyday has not come yet." It is not an exaggeration to say that he was born in 1991 and reached a peak as a player, which means that he will not be satisfied with his career. Cho's determination that "the goal is to improve every day and every year" even after the best season shows why he has remained at the top for a long time.
2024 season with everything from winning to MVP
In a recent interview with this newspaper, Cho Hyun-woo said, "I was happy on and off the ground this past year." As Ulsan's three consecutive K League 1 losses, as well as the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying cruise and MVP award, the keyword that looked back on the past year was "happiness."
In particular, Cho Hyun-woo put great significance on what went down in history as the core of the so-called Ulsan dynasty construction. Cho Hyun-woo, who played as the main goalkeeper in all three consecutive K League 1 losses after moving to Ulsan, said, "I deeply understood the desperation of the players who were originally in this team and the fans who were protecting the team while staying in second place in the league for two consecutive years (2020, 2001 season). "After three consecutive league losses, building the so-called 'dynasties' and looking back, I feel proud that I have done something great."
The most memorable moment of last season was the 7th round match against Gangwon FC in April last year. At that time, Cho Hyun-woo allowed a penalty kick himself while trying to cover the defense's mistakes, but he perfectly saved Lee Sang-hun's penalty to lead his team's 4-0 victory. Cho Hyun-woo said, "Although many scenes are memorable, I still remember the scene where I gave up a penalty against Gangwon and blocked it again."
His brilliant performance in 2024 has made Cho Hyun-woo stand tall as the best star in the K League. He has been honored as the MVP for the second time in 16 years as a goalkeeper since Lee Woon-jae in 2008. There have already been many games to save the team with decisive saves, as there have been fans' voices that "If Ulsan wins, Cho Hyun-woo should receive the MVP." At the MVP award ceremony, he received applause from fans when he said he would donate all of the prize money (10 million won) to juniors who play soccer in a difficult environment.
Cho Hyun-woo said, "I can't achieve my team's goal alone. It's true that I feel a lot of pressure as I'm in charge of the team's last stages, but the key is everyone who makes up the team," attributing the honor of winning the championship and MVP to my teammates, not to my own achievements. "As I said at the awards ceremony, I will donate all of the prize money. I want to be of any help to aspiring soccer players who play soccer in a difficult environment. I also want to express my gratitude to my wife for proposing this decision and supporting it," he added.
It was a year when he not only played in Ulsan but also became a key goalkeeper for the national team. He was a backup goalkeeper under German former coach Jurgen Klinsmann, but he took over as a starting goalkeeper after Kim was injured at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in January last year. Even after Kim returned from injury recently, Cho did not give up his starting position. He started 15 A-match games in a row last year, and the national team is on the verge of advancing to the 2026 FIFA U.S.-North Korea World Cup finals.
Cho Hyun-woo said, "It's natural that it's hard because we have to stay in place while crossing our team and national team every season," but laughed, "Thanks to good performances by both our team and the national team, I think 2024 will remain a happier memory."
Cho Hyun-woo, who is not complacent, is the 'power of life' he wants
Cho Hyun-woo, who is "healing" with his family after the end of the season, prepares for the new season even before the lingering effects of the 2024 season are gone. In particular, this year is more meaningful. In the K League 1 championship competition, which is expected to be even fiercer, he must protect the throne, and for Cho Hyun-woo, he must win the K League 1 Best 11 goalkeeper category, which has been awarded for eight consecutive years. The challenges of Ulsan and Cho Hyun-woo's competitors for the position are expected to be even stronger.
Instead of feeling pressure or tension, Cho said, "I always feel check and chase, so I enjoy it now." Cho said, "If someone is ahead, it's natural for someone else to follow. Considering this as stress, it seemed like there would be no end to the limit. That's why I chose to enjoy these things and use them as my driving force," Cho said. "It's natural now that I've been working hard for decades." My goal is to improve every year. My mindset is to 'achieve the team's goal' in my team and the national team ahead of the 2025 season."
In particular, 메이저사이트 the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. from June to July. It is a mega-club competition organized by FIFA, involving 32 teams from all over the world, including the best European big clubs. Among the four Asian teams, Ulsan is the only K-League team. Ulsan players, including Cho Hyun-woo, will stand on the stage that draws attention from all over the world. In the group stage, they belonged to Group F with Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Fluminense (Brazil), and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa).