S. Korea explains World Cup jersey swap: 'It's very difficult for Westerners to distinguish between Asians'
South Korea is a solid, if overmatched team in this year’s FIFA World Cup.
The team features two good players who many soccer fans would consider stars, Son Heung-min and Ki Sung-yueng, and little else.
They also have the unenviable draw of being in the World Cup’s Group F. The defending World Cup champions from Germany, as well as the perennial powerhouse from Mexico and an underrated Sweden team round out a fairly brutal Group F.
In other words, South Korea is highly unlikely to make it to the next round, barring miracles and stars from other teams getting injured.
But that’s no way for a competitor to be thinking. A true competitor, even when hopelessly outclassed, will do anything and everything within the rules to gain the smallest of competitive advantages.
Case in point, South Korean seems to think it may have found an effective means of subterfuge based on a racially tinged stereotype — namely, that all Asians look similar.
It’s both self-deprecating and a little funny, but if South Korean can somehow manage to upset Sweden in its opening match on Monday, it’ll be something they may return to.
South Korea’s coach, Shin Tae-yong, believes he can keep his game plan more secretive by having players swap jersey numbers in practice and training, according to Goal.com.
“In my opinion, I think when the Europeans look at us Asians, I think it could be one of the reasons [we’re swapping jerseys in practice],” Shin said at a news conference. “I think we wanted to confuse the Swedish team. That’s why we did that.”
When asked to elaborate, Shin admitted that Son and Ki would likely be recognizable due to them both playing in major international leagues, but that the rest of his players were relative unknowns. He made no qualms about his plan to sow confusion among the Swedish scouting staff.
“We swapped them around because we didn’t want to show our opponents anything. Ki Sung-yueng is probably known, as is Son Heung-min, but for the other players it might be a little bit confusing,” Shin said.
Shin then dropped what may have been his line of the presser.
“It’s very difficult for Westerners to distinguish between Asians and that’s why we did that.”
True or not, it’s still a bit stunning to hear a person of Asian descent so readily allude to a stereotype. It’s even more stunning that a stereotype could, in this instance, provide to be a tangible benefit.
Even before South Korea’s trickery, the lead up to its match with Sweden has been rife with controversy. Both sides have effectively accused the other of spying on team practices, per several reports.
If South Korea wants any shot of moving to the next round, it get the win over a Sweden team missing its iconic leader, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
South Korea and Sweden will be the first of three games on Monday. The other Monday games include Belgium vs. Panama and Tunisia vs. England.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
