South Korean national team striker Cho Gue-sung said the serious knee injury that hit him and kept him out of football for 448 days served as valuable capital for strengthening his mental health.
"At first, it was very difficult to accept the seriousness of my injury. However, I quickly decided that this moment was a new beginning. The injury ultimately made me mentally stronger," Cho said, as quoted on the FIFA website in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The footballer, who plays for Danish Super League club FC Midtjylland, continued, saying that the injury he sustained in July 2024 did not discourage him at all.
Cho underwent all the therapy with optimism and was declared recovered and could return to play on August 17, 2025, in the Danish Superliga.
His patience and determination to not give up paid off on September 18, 2025, when he scored his first goal for Midtjylland after a long injury layoff.
"I literally started from scratch after that injury," Cho said.
Next, Cho has ambitions to represent the South Korean national team in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in June-July 2026 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
For this reason, the 27-year-old man wants to show his best abilities at club level.
Cho hopes to repeat the sweet memories of the 2022 World Cup, where he scored two goals for the South Korean national team and led his country to the round of 16.
"For me, the most important thing is to finish the season successfully and healthily. After that, I'm looking forward to the World Cup. Playing in European competition motivates me to continue developing myself," he said.
At Midtjylland, since joining for the 2023/2024 season, Cho Gue-sung has scored a total of 17 goals and four assists in 49 matches across all competitions.
In the 2025/2026 season, Cho has scored four goals for Midtjylland, helping his team to second place in the Danish Superliga standings.
For the South Korean national team, Cho scored nine goals in 39 appearances. His last appearance for the South Korean national team came in late March 2023 in the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifying.
