[AGAIN 2002★] 'Italian national hatred for 20 years' Pork bar referee, what are you doing?

Is once hateful always hateful?

Even though 20 years have passed since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup ended, 'this face' is still known as a national traitor to the Italian people.

The main character of this face that has been hated by Italy for 20 years is Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno who judged Korea vs Italy in the round of 16 of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.

Do you have no idea who it is just by hearing the name?

If so, if you think of an advertisement for pork bar ice cream by actor Lim Chae-moo, 'Ah~ that person!'

you'll want to

The advertisement in which actor Lim Chae-moo, dressed as a referee, held up a pig bar instead of a red card to a player.

His expressionless face seemed to have lost focus (?) Pupils.

This comical advertisement parodying Moreno's unique expression hit the jackpot, ranking first in Internet searches at the time.

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Referee Moreno, who always left a strong impression on the Korean people with his expressionless face, is still firmly stamped as a 'national traitor' by Italians.

Why?

It was because Italy's leading star Francesco Totti was sent off with a red card for his Hollywood action in overtime.

At this time, the Italian people thought that Italy had lost because of Moreno's decision, and there was a real uproar.

Even today, 20 years later, referee Moreno, who has been at the center of the controversy over misdeeds, has even been parodied in commercials.

How is he doing after the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup?

AGAIN 2002★ The referee then.

Referee Moreno's story after the Korea-Japan World Cup begins now!

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South Korea vs Italy Round of 16 = The Day I Became a National Rebel

At the time of the Korea-Japan World Cup, the momentum of Korea was so great that it rewrote the history of Asian football in every game.

And Italy, the country of 'barred defense' (Catenaccio), met in the round of 16.

Here, the 'golden line' players who were in their prime at the time, such as 'legendary goalkeeper' Gianluigi Buffon, 'signboard forward' Francesco Totti, Alexandro Del Piero, and Paulo Maldini, were lined up.

When the game started, as expected, Italy pushed Korea without a break with their rough play and their signature 'suffocating defense'.

South Korea had a chance to take a penalty kick 5 minutes into the first half, but Ahn Jung-hwan missed it, and Vieri of Italy shook Korea's net first with a header in the 18th minute.

And the drama begins.

Two minutes before the end of the second half, Seol Ki-hyun's left-footed shot, taking advantage of an Italian defender's mistake, shook Italy's net dramatically.

1-1 tie.

The game has come to a head.

And into overtime.

From here, the goddess of victory began to smile toward Korea.

In the 13th minute of extra time, Italian star Totti was sent off after receiving a second warning from referee Moreno for Hollywood action.

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And in the 12th minute of the second half of extra time, Ahn Jung-hwan, who received Lee Young-pyo's cross, finished the game with a golden goal and advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time.

(At the time, the moment Ahn Jung-hwan scored the golden goal, I thought the apartment where the editor lived really exploded with people's shouts.)

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At the same time, Italy, on the other side of the globe, was also in a different meaning (?).

Regarding Totti's exit, 'Korea bought the referee.

We lost unfairly because of referee Moreno's decision,' he said in anger.

The International Football Federation also investigated the match and the referee Moreno, but in 2003 they were acquitted.

Regarding the controversial sending off of Totti, referee Moreno said, “At the time, FIFA had ordered strict sanctions against Hollywood action, and Totti was sent off due to the accumulation of warnings.” “When he was sent off, Totti did not even protest. It means I know."

His own judgment was nailed down as fair.

However, referee Moreno was attacked for a long time and even threatened with death for this incident, and Ahn Jung-hwan, who was playing for Perugia in Italy at the time, was kicked out of the team.

Referee Moreno, who was one of the most trusted referees not only in Ecuador, but also on the international stage, including South America, is stamped as a 'national traitor' by Italian soccer fans.

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2002 World Cup Retirement as a referee a year later → Jail for drug smuggling

At the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, with the titles of 'Hero' and 'National Rebel', referee Moreno, who returned to his country after making known his face, continued a rough refereeing life and eventually retired from refereeing in 2003.

When asked about the reason for his retirement, he said, "It is better to die fighting than to sit and wait for death."

Then, in 2011, he made news all over the world with an unexpected event.

In September 2010, while entering JF Kennedy Airport in New York, USA, a bundle of heroin was found hidden in the body during customs inspection.

At the time, Moreno was hiding 10 transparent bags containing 4.5 kg of heroin on his chest and both legs.

Arrested for drug smuggling, Moreno was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by the United States Federal Court for this and will serve in prison.

The Italian media, who did not forget him, reported extensively on Moreno's drug smuggling, and Italian goalkeeper Buffon sarcastically said, "Maybe Moreno had drugs in his body in 2002, not underwear."

Later, Moreno explained in an interview, "At the time, his family was threatened and he had no choice but to transport drugs by force. The life of his ex-wife was in danger."

As a side note, it is said that he saw a soccer referee in prison.

While in prison, he created and judged an inmate soccer tournament, and said in an interview that he was able to make many friends thanks to soccer.

Moreno, who was a soccer referee in prison, was released in 2012 as a model prisoner.

"There is only one thing I regret about the Korea-Japan World Cup"...

Italian national hatred, confession after 20 years

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Time flies and it's already April 2022.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, Moreno confessed the situation and his feelings at the time in a video interview with the Italian media, Gazzetta dello Sport.

Moreno said, "There is only one scene in the Korea-Japan World Cup that I regret."

Italian football fans expected 'Moreno to finally confess his conscience about Totti's departure after 20 years!'

"During the round of 16, Hwang Seon-hong blocked Zambrotta in the 27th minute, which eventually led to an injury. The only scene I regret is that scene. If I went back, I would have sent off Hwang Seon-hong."

"

Representatively, the situation of Totti's exit was criticized.

In the video, the Korean player caught the ball first.

The Italian approaches and collapses.

It is a scene that induces a foul.

According to the rules, the simulation is given a warning, and since the previous warning was given, he was sent off." - During an interview with Moreno -

Italian football fans, who expected an apology for Totti's departure 20 years ago, were outraged and criticized on Twitter and Instagram when Moreno hit a wedge, saying that he was proud enough to give his judgment 8.5 out of 10. He fired arrows over and over again.

The controversial referee at the center of the 2002 World Cup misjudgment controversy goes to prison for drug smuggling.

Moreno, who has lived a tumultuous life, is currently living in Ecuador, hosting an analytical TV program about soccer refereeing.

By the way, they say that they are working hard in Italy with their unique 'expressionless memes'.

It seems to be similar to how the people of our country summon 'Eulyongta' whenever anger arises because of the game.

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(Writing and composition: Seonghwa Kim, Design: Hyunyoung Lee)