Singapore footballer Song Ui-young puts aside South Korean family ties for upcoming World Cup qualifier
His journey in the sport has special value because of how much it meant to his mother who died a few years ago.
“All that time she sacrificed for me when I was younger, to bring me to training and games. It was her goal to see me play for the national team, but it’s unfortunate that she’s not here with us,” he said.
The Balestier Khalsa centre-back received his first Lions call-up when coach Tsutomu Ogura announced the national squad line-up earlier this month.
“I want to show coach Ogura that I’m a reliable player, and that I can perform consistently at a high level. My goal in the long future is to solidify my position on the national team and get called up frequently,” he said.
Emaviwe hopes to earn his first international cap next Thursday in front of a sold-out home crowd. Despite the much stronger opponent, the defender said he wants to do his part for the team.
“This is a dream come true, I love playing football. The (South Koreans) play in very, very good leagues and I’m excited to test myself against them and see where I stand,” he said.
“The energy from the crowd should be electrifying. All of us want to give a performance that our fans will be proud of.”
FOOTBALL GIANT SOUTH KOREA
South Korea has been among the top teams in Asia for decades. It is currently ranked 23rd in the world, over 100 places above Singapore’s 155th.
The Taegeuk Warriors boast global stars such as Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min and Paris Saint Germain’s Lee Kang-in.
When Tottenham played a pre-season friendly in Singapore in July last year, thousands of local fans flocked to watch South Korean forward Son.
This time, tickets for the World Cup qualifier between Singapore and South Korea are sold out, with over 40,000 spectators set to witness the David versus Goliath encounter.
“Everybody says it’s very difficult to win against South Korea,” said Song. “Maybe maximum one point, but we don’t know in football what’s going to happen, right?”
“We’re preparing very hard and we’re going to put maximum effort into the game. We want Singapore fans to feel proud of Singapore football,” he added.
FIGHTING SPIRIT AND GIVING 100%
Singapore’s Japanese head coach Ogura faces the mammoth task of pitting the national team against some of the best in the continent and the world in the upcoming game.
