FC Midtjylland forward Cho Gue-sung is keen to prove himself again for the Korean national team after recovering from a long injury.
"Even a few minutes on the pitch would mean everything to me," Cho said through his club on Wednesday."I did nothing but wait for the call. I wanted it so badly. Getting back to the national team after a long injury is a new experience, new emotion."
Cho received a call-up for the friendlies against Bolivia on Friday in Daejeon and Ghana on Nov. 18 in Seoul, returning to the national team for the first time since March last year. He missed the entire 2024-25 campaign while undergoing rehabilitation for a knee injury and its subsequent complications.
He lost 14 kilograms (30.8 pounds) during rehabilitation and relied on multiple doses of painkillers just to sleep through the night.
He returned to action in August, 448 days after his last appearance, and has scored four goals this season in Denmark.
"I'm finally back and in good condition," he said. "I'm truly happy, and everything feels perfect. I've been working since I was young to wear the national jersey. To get this chance again makes it more special. I hope I play this time and can feel proud of myself."
National team manager Hong Myung-bo traveled to Denmark to assess Cho's fitness in person before selecting him. Hong acknowledged concerns about Cho's form but emphasized the importance of giving him support.
"He's physically fit, but he hasn't fully regained his match sharpness," Hong said on Monday. "Waiting until March would have been too late. I wanted him to get energy from the national team and return to his club stronger. I hope we don't place too much burden on him now."
Cho has 39 caps and nine goals for Korea, including a double against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup, which made him the first Korean player to score a double in a World Cup match.
The upcoming friendlies serve as a stage where he can re-establish himself as a regular pick ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK RIN [[email protected]]