Exclusive: Jong Tae Se - I Play For North Korea With My Pride

North Korea star striker Jong Tae Se has told news.com that the way he will play at the World Cup is different than the way he plays for Japanese club team Kawasaki Frontale.

The 26 year-old, nicknamed the ‘People’s Rooney’, has been one of the top strikers in the J-League in recent years.

Unlike North Korea, which qualified for South Africa on the back of a strong defence, Kawasaki are known for their attacking prowess.

The Kanagawa club push men forward at every opportunity while the Chollima, who take on Brazil, Ivory Coast and Portugal in Group G, often employ Jong as their lone striker.

“I play for the national team with my pride,” Jong told Goal.com. “On the other hand, for Kawasaki Frontale, I play joyfully and enjoy playing with other players. We are an offensive team so it is very different.

“Playing for the national team is not like playing for my club. In football terms, the national team plays defensively so there is more pressure on me.

“At Kawasaki, every time we attack, there are five or six players involved in the attack. Other players can help and I can help them by making space for them and sacrificing myself in order to help them score.

“With the North Korean national team, it is different. I have to do it myself, along with Hong Yong-jo.”

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