"We support Ulsan HD and the players participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup on behalf of Korea."

The Korea Football Association (KFA) supported Ulsan HD, which will compete in the Club World Cup, through official social media on the 16th (Korea time).

The 2025 Club World Cup will be the first tournament expanded from the original 7 teams to 32 teams, providing Ulsan with an important opportunity to test their competitiveness on the global stage. Although Ulsan has experience from participating in the Club World Cup in 2012 and 2020, this will be their first time in a large-scale format like this.

Ulsan has been placed in Group F along with Brazil's Fluminense, Germany's Dortmund, and South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns.

Ulsan will face Mamelodi on the 18th at 7 a.m., Fluminense on the 22nd at 7 a.m., and Dortmund on the 26th at 4 a.m. Ahead of the matches, the KFA posted, "We support Ulsan HD and the players participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup on behalf of Korea."

Fans sent messages of support such as, "Just don’t get hurt and come!", "Ulsan fighting!", "I believe in my team", and "Please make Ulsan feel pride."

The challenge posed by Ulsan has caught the attention of not just the domestic football community. The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) also highlighted Ulsan's participation in the Club World Cup, naming 'guardian' Jo Hyun-woo as a key player.

FIFA introduced Jo Hyun-woo as "an internationally recognized star goalkeeper" through its official website in May, noting that his stable defense greatly contributed to Ulsan's K League 1 championship last season. It specifically mentioned his 10 clean sheets in 32 matches on the Asian stage, including the AFC Champions League, emphasizing his reflexes and presence as a goalkeeper.

Jo Hyun-woo gained global recognition as a key figure in the 'Miracle of Kazan' against Germany in the 2018 Russia World Cup. Now, seven years later, he is once again responsible for Ulsan's defense on the international stage. FIFA added, "Jo Hyun-woo is a goalkeeper selected for the K League Best XI for eight consecutive seasons" and noted that he is "one of the only goalkeepers in K League history to be named MVP along with Lee Woon-jae."

Jo Hyun-woo joined the team in the U.S. on the 12th after finishing the national team's schedule, making him the only player in the Ulsan squad with Club World Cup experience from four years ago. He said, "I will do my best to defend on behalf of Ulsan and Asia. I will show my best performance from the first group match."

Ulsan departed on the 6th and began training at a base camp in Charlotte, USA. To adapt locally, they played a closed-door practice match against Charlotte FC, which is part of Major League Soccer (MLS), to tune their match senses. Players such as Lee Chung-yong, Eric, Eom Won-sang, Troyak, and Lee Jin-hyun have completed their warm-up with scoring.

Ulsan's first opponent, Mamelodi, is a powerhouse team that has recorded eight consecutive league championships in South Africa, with many key players from the national team. Led by Portuguese-born coach Miguel Cardoso, Mamelodi practices a sophisticated build-up game based on ball possession.

Key players to watch are forward Ikram Reiners and playmaker Lucas Ribeiro. The two have scored double digits for three consecutive seasons and are known for having each recorded over 20 goals this season alone. Ulsan's defense line, consisting of Kim Young-kwon, Troyak, and Seo Myung-kwan, must block these threats.

In attack, expectations are placed on Eric, who has scored 8 goals in the K League 1 this season. He received praise from local officials for his active movements and decisiveness during the practice match against Charlotte.

Since the result of the first match against Mamelodi can influence the overall flow, Jo Hyun-woo's performance and the defensive unit's organization have become more critical than ever.

Ulsan’s journey to become the 'protagonist of an upset' on the global stage has just begun. All eyes of football fans are focused on their first steps, taking pride in Korea.

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