Guus Hiddink on the 2002 World Cup: Referee Moreno was not responsible; Italy should have beaten South Korea.

In an interview, Guus Hiddink, who led South Korea to a record-breaking semi-final appearance in the 2002 World Cup, said he believed that the controversial Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno was not responsible and that Italy, with its star-studded lineup, should have defeated South Korea.

Twenty-four years have passed since the 2002 South Korea-Italy match, but that game continues to spark discussion. On June 18, 2002, in Daejeon, South Korea, Italy was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Ahn Jung-hwan's golden goal. The match was also marked by controversial refereeing decisions by Byron Moreno, a disallowed goal by Tommasi, and the sending off of Totti.

Then-South Korea coach Guus Hiddink revisited the match and refuted the accusations: "Byron Moreno? He did nothing wrong. With the talent of those Italian stars, they should have beaten us." The Dutch coach also discussed the secrets to South Korea's run to the semi-finals and defended former Perugia player Ahn Jung-hwan, who had faced controversy, criticism, and threats at the time.

South Korea Reaches Semifinals – What was the secret to South Korea's run to the semifinals in 2002? Guus Hiddink said, "First, it was the extremely high-intensity preparation, day after day, which raised our FIFA ranking from 72nd to around 20th. We were very competitive then, but not the year before the World Cup. However, I had the opportunity to select the team and made some good choices, bringing different types of players. Our preparations before the World Cup went very smoothly. Physically and technically, we were one of the best teams. Physically, we had the advantage because we could play at a very high speed. European teams had considerable trouble dealing with us."

When asked about Italy and Spain, a reporter asked, "Did Byron Moreno wear a South Korean jersey under his referee's uniform?" Hiddink responded, "I don't like this question because it carries a certain bias. If we're going to go that route, then Vieri should have received a yellow card for elbowing an opponent in the first half, and Byron Moreno didn't see it. It's easy to blame the referee... Italy had huge potential back then. Look at those big names, they were all top-tier players! They should have easily beaten South Korea, but they didn't..."

Regarding stars like Vieri, Totti, Buffon, and Maldini, Hiddink said: "That's exactly what I'm talking about. These stars should have beaten South Korea. But our team was full of confidence, and the pace of the game was very fast. Italy didn't expect us to put up such a strong fight. I'll say it again: they should have won easily, but they didn't, they really didn't."

Hiddink also said, "You have to admit that sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and when you lose, you have to be a gentleman!" Ahn Jung-hwan later received death threats, and Perugia president Luciano Gaucci said, "That guy will never set foot in Perugia again." Gaucci also stated that he would not pay a salary to someone who "ruined Italian football." Hiddink responded with dissatisfaction, "It's absurd that a player who was playing for Perugia at the time was treated like that."

In response to the claim that "Ahn Jung-hwan bit the hand that fed him," a reporter pointed out that without Italian football and without reaching higher levels through Serie A, Ahn Jung-hwan might not have started for South Korea in the World Cup. Guus Hiddink, who led PSV Eindhoven to the European Cup victory in 1988, responded: "So he shouldn't have played? Shouldn't he have scored? Is that your answer? Of course not… This is sports! As for that hand that fed him… He played for South Korea because he's Korean! Should he have scored against us? The answer is no. That's sports. When you score the golden goal, when you win, you celebrate, celebrate, and celebrate again! But when you lose, you have to act like a man, like a gentleman. Did Italy do that?"

Hiddink concluded, "In fact, Italy should have won. Many chances were wasted. However, there was a very clear penalty, and Totti was sent off for a suspected dive… No one fully understands why Tommasi's golden goal was disallowed for offside. A long time has passed, and Italy still hasn't won! You should have won within 90 minutes; Maldini, Totti, Vieri, and all the other stars were there. You shouldn't have complained after the game. You were trying to provoke a reaction from me, but my answer remains the same!"

In response to the statement that "without Daejeon, there might not have been a Berlin," Hiddink replied, "Congratulations to the South Korean team; they laid the foundation for that victory back then!"