“There is a gap between us and the world-class level, so we still have to improve,” FIFA.com reports Park told the China Daily. “But in the past few years, the quality of Asian football has gotten better and we have proved we can deal with world-class teams.”
“So, if Asian teams work hard and continue to develop, one day they will have success at the World Cup… not now but maybe in ten years time an Asian country will win the World Cup.”
The performances of Asian countries in international competitions have improved in recent years. South Korea and Japan are regular World Cup participants. The Koreans even reached the semifinal round back in 2002.
Park is one of the success stories of world soccer. His rise from the Korean high school ranks to Manchester United has spurred the dreams of countless kids from the far east and beyond.
The key to winning tournaments at the senior level is bridging the gap between the world’s elite teams and other contenders. Asia’s best players need to be exposed to the game as it is played at the highest level. That happens at top European clubs like Park’s Manchester United.
The 31-year-old’s stated timetable for an Asian victory seems purposely optimistic. The 2014 World Cup will see one of the traditional powers lifting the trophy, and 2018 will likely follow a similar pattern because today’s best young players are still flocking to UEFA Champions League clubs.
The 2022 World Cup is earliest one could see a shift happening, but that too is unlikely. That is probably why Park said “maybe in ten years time.” The path today’s young players take will determine the champions of tomorrow.
Can an Asian country win the FIFA World Cup in ten years?
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Photo via Flickr/AtilaTheHun
