Wolves have endured a difficult campaign which ended in relegation, but the club’s influence on the international stage is still being felt at the World Cup.
Former Wolves teammates Hwang Hee-chan and Raúl Jiménez are set for an emotional reunion when South Korea face Mexico on June 18.
While Hwang remains under contract at Molineux following the club’s drop to the Championship, Jiménez is now a free agent after leaving Fulham.
Former teammates meet again
The pair spent two years together at Wolves and developed a close relationship on and off the pitch. Speaking ahead of the World Cup clash, Hwang admitted the meeting will carry special significance.
The South Korea international explained to ESPN México that he spoke with Jiménez after their last encounter and recalled how well they understood each other during their time in the Midlands.
“Of course, I spoke with Raúl when we met in the last match,” Hwang said.
“During our time at Wolves we were very close. Thanks to that relationship on the pitch, I was even able to score a goal from one of his assists.
“That’s why it will be very special to see him again. Every time we met after matches we would usually talk. Having shared the pitch with such an important footballer is a great memory for me, and it will be very nice, as well as an honour, to meet him now as an opponent.”
Wolves bond remains strong
Hwang then lifted the lid on their friendship away from football. According to the forward, the pair spent plenty of time together during their Wolves days and regularly discussed both club and international football.
“We always ate together, talked a lot away from the pitch and, of course, joked around a lot as well,” he explained.
“We used to joke that we would win, and we also talked about the situation of each national team and how qualifying had gone.”
The South Korean also reserved special praise for Jiménez, whose future remains unresolved after his Fulham departure.
“Raúl is a very intelligent player, with a great tactical understanding and an important influence within the group, so his teammates trusted him a lot,” Hwang added.
“Without doubt, he is one of the players we have to pay special attention to. He is a great player, although we also have many quality players in our squad.”
Hwang even suggested his experience alongside Jiménez could become useful information for South Korea before the World Cup meeting.
“That’s why I want to speak with my teammates about those details so we can win that match.”
