South Korea World Cup 2026 team guide

This article is portion of nan Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a practice betwixt immoderate of nan champion media organisations from nan 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is moving previews from 3 countries each time successful nan run-up to nan tourney kicking disconnected connected 11 June.

The plan

Hong Myung-bo stuck rigidly to a backmost 4 passim nan qualifiers, pivoting to a backmost 3 only successful nan 2nd half of nan last lucifer aft South Korea’s spot successful nan finals had been secured. This tactical shift, appearing only aft nan dense lifting had been done, leaves nan squad grappling pinch a hopeless deficiency of mentation clip and cohesion if they are to commencement nan tourney successful a 3-4-3.

One of nan problems pinch that statement is nan deficiency of wing-backs tin of producing high-level performances. This scarcity of options is why truthful overmuch intrigue surrounds Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Jens Castrop and wherever he will play; his versatility intends he tin beryllium deployed centrally aliases retired wide – that could make him nan eventual wildcard successful North America.

Hong tried to dispel nan nervousness surrounding his statement successful a caller question and reply pinch KBS. “It’s difficult to trust connected conscionable 1 tactical attack and I person acquisition of that,” he said. “There’s astir a six-day break aft nan first lucifer truthful we tin measure nan spot of our adjacent force and accommodate our statement to attack nan crippled successful different ways.”

Adding to nan worry is nan precarious authorities of nan team’s spine; cardinal figures specified arsenic Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Lee Kang-in, Lee Jae-sung and Hwang In-beom are each battling a cocktail of injuries, erratic nine shape and moreover being relegated to nan bench.

The business is peculiarly dire successful cardinal midfield, wherever a drawstring of injuries person ruled retired respective candidates. In addition, Hwang has spent overmuch of nan play struggling to find his hit aft suffering recurring beingness setbacks.

Strong successful qualifying, South Korea did not suffer immoderate of their 16 matches, finishing six points up of Jordan successful nan 2nd group stage. There are hopes of getting retired of a group that consists of nan co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and Czechia. “Our first extremity is to beforehand to nan information of 32. After that, thing could happen,” says Hong.

The coach

South Korea’s Qatar 2022 run was defined by an admirable marque of football, holding their ain against Uruguay and orchestrating a melodramatic triumph complete Portugal to scope nan knockout rounds. However, nan consequent era has been 1 of administrative chaos. The appointment of Jürgen Klinsmann by nan KFA president ended successful complete failure, nan German lasting little than a year. His successor, Hong Myung-bo, past started pinch a whirlwind of action controversies. Hong is 1 of nan country’s top footballing figures, but he operates without nan captious oxygen of media aliases nationalist support. He has already been successful complaint for a World Cup, successful 2014, which ended without a win. Can he exorcise those ghosts successful North America? The outlook, rather frankly, remains bleak.

Star player

Son Heung-min is 1 of South Korea’s stars but he has struggled astatine LAFC recently. Photograph: Christian Bruna/Getty Images

Son Heung-min. Sonny, Sonny, Sonny. There is possibly nary fig successful nan history of South Korean athletics much universally adored. His achievements – a Premier League Golden Boot and captaining a Europa League-winning broadside among them – are those of a generational talent who has consistently produced for nan nationalist team. Yet, for each his individual brilliance, a awesome world trophy remains absent. That won’t alteration successful North America, but nan state still waits to spot if he tin shed his caller troubles astatine LAFC and find redemption connected nan world shape erstwhile more.

One to watch

Oh Hyeon-gyu. If 2022 was nan twelvemonth of Cho Gue-sung, 2026 surely belongs to Oh. Last year, he was group to subordinate Stuttgart for £24m, but nan Bundesliga nine pulled retired because of concerns complete an aged knee injury. “I person not had immoderate problems pinch my knees since precocious school,” said nan erstwhile Celtic striker who joined Besiktas successful January instead. Oh has maintained a rich | vein of shape successful Turkey, positioning himself arsenic a formidable challenger to Son for nan starting striker role.

Unsung hero

Lee Jae-sung. To explanation a subordinate pinch much than 100 caps arsenic an unsung leader whitethorn look a contradiction, but Lee’s immense publication to nan Taeguk Warriors has often been overshadowed by much glamorous names. Regardless of who holds nan clipboard, Lee is simply a imperishable fixture connected nan teamsheet – a tenacious, cerebral beingness who balances attacking flair pinch protect grit. Having only precocious returned from a lengthy wounded layoff, nan 33-year-old is preparing to ignite 1 last occurrence alongside his lifelong peer, Son.

Probable starting XI

Illustration: Guardian

What to expect from nan fans

Mexico remains a world away, not conscionable geographically, but emotionally. Despite nan staggering fame of BTS crossed nan region, nan likelihood of South Korean fans making nan arduous visit is slim. This reluctance isn’t simply a matter of distance; it is simply a reflection of a fractured relationship. Neither nan KFA nor Hong are capable to animate nan benignant of devotion required for specified a journey.

Relationship pinch nan US/Trump

In his first word arsenic president, Trump often talked astir Korea. His pursuit of a Nobel bid prize made him amazingly amicable toward nan then-leaders of nan North and South, earning him a peculiar marque of fame successful Seoul. His 2nd term, however, has struck a different chord. A nationalist erstwhile intrigued is now fatigued by a tenure defined by tariffs and erratic overseas policy. Reports suggesting his management pushed for Italy to switch Iran successful nan World Cup person only cemented his image arsenic a reckless disruptor successful nan eyes of nan Korean public.

Written by Seo Hyung-wook for Footballist