Despite the one to zero loss to Germany at the semi-final, South Korea's soccer team has earned the respect and admiration of foreign media as well as the international soccer community. French newspapers, including Le Monde, have heaped praise on the Korean team ... saying it has brought a new sense of pride to Asian soccer. In an article on the Korean team's performance, Thursday's Le Monde said that even though Korea lost to Germany, Asia won a victory. A British daily, The Guardian, said Korean striker Ahn Jung-hwan is one of the rising stars of the World Cup. The paper said Ahn is now commanding some five to six million pounds ... about ten times more than his previous value before the start of the World Cup. The paper said the Korean striker is not only an outstanding player but also made international headlines after his golden goal knocked Italy out of the World Cup.