Yang Min-hyuk, who was selected for the first A national team, is challenging the record of Son Heung-min, the “Tottenham senior” and captain of the Korean national soccer team.
Coach Hong Myung-bo will unveil the 26-man call-up list for the third qualifying round of the 2026 North-China World Cup, which will be held in September, at the Korea Football Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 26th.
South Korea will play the first match against Palestine at Sangam World Cup Stadium in Seoul on September 5 and then play the second match against Oman at Muscat Sultakabus Stadium on September 10.
A total of four new faces have joined the roster. Right back Hwang Moon-ki, who is leading Gangwon FC’s sensation in the K-League along with left back Choi Woo-jin of Incheon United and center back Lee Han-beom of Mitwillan, and ace Yang Min-hyuk are also included. All four players made the first A-team roster.
Most of the attention went to Yang. Yang, who debuted as a “high school rookie” this season, has been widely known since the last winter training session. He started as a starter from the opening game and scored his K-League debut goal against Gwangju FC in the second round, sparking a revolt by those born in 2006.
He led Gangwon’s rise by showing fast speed, reckless breakthrough, and bold finish regardless of the left and right sides of each game, and has 13 offensive points with eight goals and five assists in 28 games so far.
From April to July, he won the Young Player of the Month award and the Team of Five Leagues for four consecutive months. In July, he won the individual award. He brought the Player of the Month award, the Young Player of the Month award, and the Goal of the Month award to him.
Overseas clubs’ interest in Yang Min-hyuk, who burst his potential early, was also hot. It was known that several teams have been paying attention since he was a teenager, and he finally confirmed his transfer to Tottenham last month. He will play in Gangwon Province for the rest of the year and move on to the English stage in January next year.
Coach Hong Myung-bo said, “I think we have improved our performance a bit compared to the best of July, but it is enough to see how we have performed so far. We have decided that it is right to give Yang a chance. However, after this call-up, it is up to the player himself. As he is a player that many people are looking forward to, I hope he will do well in the national team as well.”
With this call-up, Yang will join the A-team at the age of 18 years and 132 days. He is the youngest ever to be selected as the 13th.
With his record as the youngest player, he will also challenge Son Heung-min, a senior player at Tottenham. If Yang records his appearance in a match against Palestine, he will make his A-team debut at the age of 18 years and 142 days. This will push back Son Heung-min, 먹튀검증 who made his A-team debut at the age of 17 years and 175 days, to rank fifth in history.
If he scores again while he’s at it, he will push Son Heung-min’s record again. Son Heung-min scored his A-match debut goal against India at the age of 18 years and 194 days at the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar. This will be the second-highest A-match score in a row so far, and if Yang Min-hyuk shakes the net against Palestine, he will achieve it 52 days earlier than Son Heung-min.