What was the Nexon Icons Match and was it worth going to? | OneFootball

Despite minimal publicity and awareness, over 64,000 fans passed through the turnstiles on Sunday night for the Nexon Icons Match at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The game was a complete success and the local fans loved seeing heroes of 2002 return. But was it worth it?

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Two names that roll off the tongue, evoking memories of epic battles over the last 100 years, world-class academies, success and culture....

Well, maybe not. But what these two sides had was greatness. On a chilly late October's even, an A-list cast of football legends from a bygone era turned up at Seoul's World Cup Stadium for the Nexon Icons Match. It was basically a team of attackers against a team of defenders (with Pirlo) and the defenders won. The concept was unusual (take, for example, Dimitar Berbatov partnering Didier Drobga in defense) but it was fun.

There were fans younger than me at this game, but the players were the ones I watched from elementary school to university. Players who lit up the Champions League on a Tuesday night,El Classico stalwarts, decorated internationals, local heroes, and World Cup winners. This is who we saw;

Alessandro Del Piero, Andrea Pirlo, Leonardo Bonucci, Fabio Cannavaro, Luis Figo, Carles Puyol, Rivaldo, Didier Drogba, Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko, Rio Ferdinand, Yaya Toure, Clarence Seedorf, Edwin van der Sar, Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini, Javier Mascherano, and John Arne Riise were just some of the international names on display.

They were joined by Kim Byung-ji, who stole the show as the game's most popular player until two late substitutions nearly blew the roof in. Park Joo-ho, Kim Nam-il, Lim Min-hyuk, Lee Cheon-soo, An Jung-hwan, and Kim Yong-dae gave a local flavoring.

In the second half, Lee Young-pyo and Park Ji-sung were sprung from their respective benches. The roar which greeted Park, especially, was worth the admission fare alone. It felt like 64,000 fans had stepped back into 2002. They even have a chant for Park that they don't have for Son Heung-min. His arrival came just after Shevchenko had won a penalty, allowing Park the opportunity to score in front of his adoring fans. He didn't disappoint. It truly was a moment to savior.

Lee, playing down the left wing, roasted his opposite number several times. Flashbacks of his glory days in England. Lee is 47 years old, but you never would have guessed it. Has he even lost a yard of pace?

My ticket cost ₩40,000, the cheapest on offer. That was in the upper tier, behind the goals. Admittedly, it was far from the action and big screens showed the match instead of the teams on the field, which wasn't ideal. With the raft of substitutions at half time, especially, it would have made more sense to show the line ups.

The opening ceremony was prolonged and rather pointless. Cha Beum-kun, one of the nation's greatest players, delivered the trophy before the game. The sides of the pitch were occupied by men and women in traditional yellow clothing and the two managers, Thierry Henry and Fabio Cannaravo, were escorted on to the field under a traditional umbrella. Anyone who's been to a non-wedding hall ceremony in Korea will have seen such an item.

As for the match, it went exactly as one would expect. Former superstars of the sport joking, laughing, and hugging. It had the feeling of an exhibition game (which it was) or a testimonial. Some tried outrageous pieces of skill to woo the crowd - Clarence Seedorf scored from the half time line; John Arne Riise almost did. Goalkeeper Kim Byung-ji spent most of the match well outside his box, marauding forward much to the delight of the Korean fans.

Other players to impress were Carles Puyol, who looks like he's added a few kilos, but his defending was top notch. Rivaldo's left foot was a constant threat, Riise was one of the match's best performers, and Berbatov, playing in the usual position of centre-back, rolled back the years with his guile and touch.

And what about the fans? For them it was a huge success. The collective noise when a player pulled off a piece of skill or exceptional technique was not like anything I've experienced before. It was a combination of woo and wow and could be heard several times a minute.

Was the game worth it? Yes, absolutely. Would I go again next year? Highly unlikely, but if the fixture returns, I'd highly recommend it.