Why Park Ji-sung is the most popular player at Old Trafford

It might surprise you that Park Ji-sung receives more fan mail than any other player at Manchester United. And that some of it, addressed to a midfielder earning £60,000 a week, contains money and clothes sent from South Korea.

Park will be the only Asian player on show in Saturday's Champions League final at Wembley if he makes Sir Alex Ferguson's 18-man squad. He didn't get in against Chelsea in Moscow three years ago and the 2009 final ended in disappointment when he played in United's 2-0 defeat by Barcelona in Rome.

Action man: Park's energetic displays have made him almost a guaranteed starter against Barcelona

The 30-year-old midfielder knows that millions of Koreans will get up before dawn to see him take on the Spaniards again. And after scoring in the semi-final win over Chelsea, his huge popularity back home would hit even greater heights if he were to grab the winner against Barca.

'I actually don't like being a famous person,' said Park, who had to contend with suggestions that it was little more than a marketing stunt when United signed him from PSV Eindhoven for £4million in 2005.

'I just want to be a normal person but I play for Manchester United and there aren't many Asian players in Europe or the Premier League, so I get that attention.

'I have to play better than other players in Europe. That's why a lot of people support me in other countries. I get a lot of parcels coming over from South Korea. They send me everything from food and clothes to sweets.

'I have been sent money before because the notes in South Korea changed and they sent me the new ones so that I could see them because I'm living here. Maybe they're worried I'll forget about home!

Disappointment: Sir Alex Ferguson with the United players after the defeat to Barcelona in 2009

'I have to make people from my country happy and that means I have to win and perform very well. Many people will get up to watch the game because the day after is Sunday so they can rest then.

'Asian culture is that people are quite excited about the players. It's difficult to deal with being stopped in the street and I can walk around more easily here. But David Beckham has that all over the world, so it must be more difficult for him than me.'

Park's performances on the left side of United's midfield have made him almost a guaranteed starter. But it was not always that way and he remembers the pain of missing out when United were crowned European champions in 2008.

'It was a very hard time for me,' said Park. 'I had played in the semi-final and I missed the final - I wasn't even in the squad. The manager told me in the morning. He came to me and explained. He said that he felt sorry. But managers make hard decisions and he had many great players. If I had been capable of playing in the final, he would have put me in the squad, so it meant that I had to improve.'

Park missed a great chance to score in Rome 12 months later as Barcelona took United's crown.

'If that chance had gone in maybe it would have been a different result, but it didn't and it wasn't. 'Now I have a chance to maybe play and win the game and that would be perfect. It would be the best moment in my career.'