A soccer legend’s visit to Korea thrilled a group of high school seniors who are studying hard. Despite spending 27 hours at the airport, the students were left with smiles on their faces after accomplishing their mission.
On the afternoon of the 9th, Italian soccer legends Marco Materazzi, 49, and Fabio Cannavaro, 49, arrived at Incheon International Airport. The legendary defenders, who led the Azzurri to victory at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in France, dazzled Korean fans with their fan service as much as their playing prowess.
After the two players left the airport, a group of people who hadn’t actually seen them play were chatting happily. Four high school seniors from Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do – Kim Min-sung, Lee Ji-hoon, Park Hyun-woo, and Kim Bum-jo – explained their visit to the airport by saying, “We watched a lot of the old players’ good performances on YouTube.”
They decided to go to the airport when they heard that Ronaldinho, Materazzi, and Cannavaro were coming to Korea. The four from Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, traveled 200 kilometers to reach Incheon Airport on the eighth day of Ronaldinho’s arrival. Although they are preparing for university entrance exams and should be focusing on their studies, they put down their pens for the players.
“I came here with a plan to sleep out with my friends,” said Lee Ji-hoon. 토토사이트 “It’s okay because it’s a vacation (when asked if he should study). I can take the SAT one more time, but the players were more important than studying. I don’t know when I will see these players again,” he laughed.
Kim Min-sung, a self-proclaimed Ronaldinho fan, rushed to get a Brazilian national team T-shirt when he heard about his idol’s visit. He didn’t get an autograph, but he said, “I usually try to imitate his style of play. I waited the longest for Ronaldinho, but I was disappointed.”
After a nap in the sauna, they spent 27 hours at the airport. They were so tired that they slept on the airport floor for a while. Student Kim Min-sung said, “It was disappointing when Ronaldinho just left. If I hadn’t gotten his autograph, I would have regretted being in the airport for 27 hours, but now that I have it, I suddenly feel so good,” he smiles.
In the end, all four students realized their goal of getting an autograph after a long wait. Kim Bum-jo said, “It’s a special feeling to receive an autograph from a legendary player. It’s unreal and my heart is racing. I’m going to frame the jersey and keep it as a family heirloom.”
After spending about two days in a dreamlike state, they promised to “study hard now” and went to catch the bus to Cheongju with light steps.