Bae Jun-ho (21) of Stoke City has emerged as the future of Korean soccer based on his strong performance in the match against Jordan. There was even a saying that “left-hander Jun-ho and right-hander” named Bae Jun-ho on the left and Lee Kang-in (PSG) on the right. He showed off his “crack” aspect by neutralizing opponents’ defenders with individual tactics. Bae said, “I am grateful that A-team coach Hong Myung-bo fully supported me.
The national team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will play against Iraq at 8 p.m. on the 15th at Yongin Mir Stadium in the fourth round of the Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup. Bae Jun-ho came out as a substitute in the away match of Jordan in the third round of the qualifying round on the 10th. He impressed by assisting Oh Hyun-kyu’s net goal.
Bae’s aggressive breakthrough from the left flank, where Son Heung-min is sidelined due to injury, energized the national team’s offense. Bae, who made his A-match debut through a match against Singapore in June this year, has emerged as a top-rated joker in three A-team matches. Attention is focusing on whether he will receive a “special name as a starting member” since his debut.
When asked if there was a special order from the coaching staff when he was replaced against Jordan, Bae Joon-ho said, “Coach Hong Myung-bo instilled a lot of confidence to make the play he wanted to play.”
Bae Jun-ho also tipped off some detailed instructions. Bae Jun-ho said, “The details of your request were spread out on the sides, and you saw the timing and helped me make the play that I could because I have strength in the play that goes inside.”
Coach Hong Myung-bo also expressed satisfaction. Hong said, “Bae Jun-ho is fast growing. I think he is a good player as well as his team likes to play from the inside. My role is to dress the players well. I am also agonizing over what role Bae can maximize.
Bae Joon-ho showed an honorable reaction to the expression “right-handed Kang-in and left-handed Jun-ho.” Bae said with a smile, “I always learn a lot from Kang-in. It was great to have the opportunity to play with him. Also, if I can be of any help, I think I can have synergy effects while playing together. So, if I do what I can, I think I can be of help to Kang-in and the team as well.”
The upcoming match against Iraq is a so-called “six-point match.” Korea and Iraq are ranked first and second in Group B with two wins, one draw and seven points. Korea is ahead in goal difference. If Korea overtakes Iraq, it will add three more points, depriving Iraq of a chance to win points. It is now a halfway point, but if Korea wins, it can effectively enter a stable position to advance to the World Cup finals.
Bae Jun-ho was confident that the team’s atmosphere was very good. Bae Jun-ho said, “The atmosphere has been so good since the call. After winning the match against Jordan, the morale rose again. The brothers tried so hard to bring the atmosphere to a good level. That’s why I’m living my life by exercising and enjoying myself as the youngest member of the team.” 먹튀검증
Regarding the match against Iraq, Bae Jun-ho said, “No one knows yet which player will play. In addition, (Lee) Seung-woo and (Moon) Sun-min came in. We have to compete again in that. If I have a chance, I want to do my best and show good performance again.”
Coach Hong Myung-bo said, “Iraq is a team that is likely to compete for the lead and is a strong opponent. We have to bring results in some way. After the match against Jordan, we gained confidence overall and improved compared to September. We have one game left, and we will prepare well so that the players can have a good game and bring good results.”