Korea`s young players hope to become new Barça Messi

"I want to play in Spain."

At a training ground of FC Barcelona in Spain, Korea`s promising football players had a friendly match with the Barcelona youth team on Wednesday. Korea`s young players were excited to play at the training ground of the world`s top football club. One of the players said, "I was thrilled to play at a place where Lionel Messi and Lee Seung-woo played. I want to become a good player."

The Korea Youth Football Association (Chairman Kim Hui) has been sending 12-under Korean players to Spain`s Barcelona and Valencia for friendly matches with teams there. This year, 76 of Korea`s promising players went to Spain. Three teams with 12-under players and two 11-under teams had matches there, and will play with youth teams in Villarreal starting from Thursday.

The Korea-Spain exchange matches are regarded as a stage to inculate dreams and hopes to Korea`s promising football players. Based on young players` performances at exchange matches, Spanish teams scout promising players from Korea. Baek Seung-ho (17), Lee Seung-woo (16) and Jang Gyeol-hee (16), all three who are currently playing at Barcelona`s youth teams, also made names in Spain through exchange matches. Baek joined a Spanish club in 2009, Lee and Jang in 2010, Ahn Jun-hyuk and Yang Jae-woo (both in Villarreal) in 2011, and Jang In-suk (Malaga) in 2012, after showing outstanding competence.

Many Spanish scouters visited the site Wednesday to see promising Korean players perform. The 76 young players raced around the field like a fish in water hoping to become the next player to be scouted. Baek said, "I wanted to see juniors play hard. I hope they get good results this time as well."

Vice Chairman Kim Young-kyun of the association said, "Six players are playing in Spain through exchange matches. Korea`s youth players are gaining good responses there. My goal is to send more Korean players to Spanish clubs." Korea`s young football players are ripening dreams in football powerhouse Spain.