The competition among young strikers to lead Korea’s front line has begun. Oh Se-hoon (25, Machida Zelvia) and Oh Hyun-kyu (23, Genk) will challenge to join the ranks of national team strikers.
Oh Se-hoon has been steadily selected since he first joined the adult national team when interim coach Kim Do-hoon led the national team in June. Oh Hyun-kyu also announced his return to the national team for the first time in eight months, wearing the Taegeuk mark last month.
Prior to their joining, the national team was agonizing over No. 9. Joo Min-gyu (34) of Ulsan HD, who was utilized by temporary coaches, was not in good condition since March, and there were no resources available. However, Oh Hyun-gyu, who joined the national team after showing off strong performance in his team, showed off his presence by scoring goals in two consecutive matches against Jordan and Iraq last month.
Oh Se-hoon also scored his A-match debut goal in Iraq last month. He also started in the fifth Group B match of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Kuwait and North Korea and the U.S., which was held on the 14th (Korea time), but he shook the net by connecting Hwang In-beom’s header with a high RBI header. Oh Hyun-kyu spent about 16 minutes on the pitch in place of Oh Se-hoon, but failed to score a goal. 안전놀이터
Obviously, considering their performance for two months, the two showed hope that they can continue their 9th genealogy in Korea, which has been cut off since Hwang Ui-jo (Alanyaspor). Above all, Oh Se-hoon was born in 1999 and Oh Hyun-kyu was born in 2001, and he is still young. If you steadily get on board and establish yourself in the national team, you can reduce your worries about the absence of a striker. Considering that there are always rising goalscorers in the world’s top teams, Korea also needs a clear scorer.
The fact that the two have different styles is a boon to Korea. Oh, who is 93 centimeters tall, is good at post play and obeys left-footed shooting. Oh, who is 1 meter 86 centimeters tall and boasts a solid physique, is excellent in bold play and active participation in defense inside the penalty box. He can effectively utilize the two depending on the team’s tactics, strategy and opponent.
The two players, who have been considered as talented players to lead the Korean national soccer team since their childhood, scored their first A-match goal last month, marking the beginning of their competition. On top of that, Lee Young-joon (21) of Grashofer, who Hong Myung-bo has constantly mentioned, is also expected to compete for the next-generation striker position.