The women’s national team, led by head coach Colin Bell, began their final training session of the year on Sunday afternoon at the Gyeonggi Paju National Training Center (NFC).

Despite being in the midst of an A-match, the team will only hold a call-up training without an evaluation game, reflecting Bell’s intention to focus on refining the details of tactics and offense.

“This is the last call-up of the year, but even though there is no match, it doesn’t change my mindset,” said striker Choi Yoo-ri (Birmingham City). I’m going to work hard in training.”

Choi, who missed the second qualifying round for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with a torn hamstring (muscle in the back of the thigh) and had to watch her team fail to qualify for the Olympic Games on a screen, said: “I really wanted to play with them. I’m so grateful to my teammates who fought so hard, gave everything they had and played their hearts out, even though the result was disappointing.”

“It’s been a process of adapting to the high-intensity soccer that the coach wants for the past four years, and I think the high-intensity soccer came out to some extent in the last game,” she said.

Choi, who made his Birmingham City debut in the 18th minute of the second half on May 5, said, “I worked hard to show what I have in the 30 minutes I had,” adding, “England has a lot of players with good physicality and speed. I’m learning to bump into them and adapting,” she said of her time in Europe.

Choi Yoo-ri, who laughed and said, “I still have a lot of older sisters in the national team,” said that as the younger players are gradually being called upon by Coach Bell, she is playing a bridge in the middle, saying, “I am working hard to raise the atmosphere with my voice.”

Son Hwa-yeon (Hyundai Steel) commented on the call-up training without an evaluation game, saying, “There is less pressure, so we can perform well in a relaxed situation,” but warned, “If we are too careless, we could get injured.”

Sohn believes that if she can use the call-up to rebuild her fitness and improve her forward pressing and build-up, she will be able to perform well in the next A match.

“We talk to each other a lot and try to fill in the gaps,” she said, adding, “If we play together for a longer period of time, we will be able to exchange good influences.”

Son Hwa-yeon, who scored a hat trick in the second leg of the Hyundai Steel 2023 WK League championship match at Incheon Namdong Stadium on May 25 to lead Hyundai Steel to its 11th consecutive title, reflected, “I had a hole in my right knee, so I rested the first leg, and it was said in advance that I would not play the full time in the second leg.” “I think I put pressure on the second half because there were a lot of goals in the first half,” he said.

Kwon Da-eun (Hyundai Go), who had joined Paju NFC as an extra training partner but was officially called up by Coach Bell in this call-up, said, “I am so honored to be officially called up and to be able to train with my sisters, and I am surprised that the opportunity I vaguely dreamed of has become a reality.”

“I learned different strengths from my legendary sisters,” Kwon said, “and I’m especially motivated to learn more about Ji So-yeon’s (Suwon FC) creative play and mindset.”

Kwon Da-eun, who indirectly felt the atmosphere as a reserve member at the 2023 FIFA World Cup Australia-New Zealand, said, “I’m really eager to prepare well. I want to be responsible and fight hard,” she said, adding, “Coach Bell’s high-intensity training was tough, but I think it helped me. I want to experience more new things in the national team.” 슬롯게이밍