In 10 years, the best defender and striker in Korean soccer history met as coaches and captains.
The South Korean men’s national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will play against Palestine in the first round of the third qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between North Korea and the U.S. at Sangam World Cup Stadium in Seoul at 8 p.m. on the 5th.
Hong Myung-bo called up the best 26 players ahead of the Palestine-Pride match. A total of 19 players, including 12 players in the K League, participated in training on the 2nd, including Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in, who played in their team in the early morning of the 2nd, as well as Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang In-beom, Seol Young-woo and Lee Han-beom, joined the team belatedly and started training from the 3rd.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced prior to the training on the previous day that the entire team will have a meeting according to the schedule of arrival of the convened players and then start the training, but Coach Hong Myung-bo changed the schedule. As some overseas players were delayed from entering the country and convening the team, the meeting was postponed to four days to manage their conditions.
Among them, Lee Han-beom participated in tactical training instead of cycling after stretching. Meanwhile, when this reporter met him on Sunday, Hong said, “We are deeply agonizing over the fatigue of the team.” At the time, he said, “How many days off the main players will be able to take is a big influence. As we arrive tomorrow, we have to train and play for one day on the 4th. We will wait and see,” adding, “We are paying attention to the fatigue of those who join the team belatedly.”
At a press conference on Friday, Korean national team coach Hong Myung-bo and his team captain Son Heung-min were interviewed. “The players are tired overall, but no players are injured. If I train and rest properly today, I think I will be able to participate in tomorrow’s game in the best condition. I will do my best,” Hong said ahead of his debut match.
In the match against Palestine, Hong Myung-bo will play for the first time since the World Cup in Brazil. Hong, who won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, hurriedly took the helm of the Brazilian national team, but was shaken by various controversies and sluggish performances. Eventually, he had to leave the team after the World Cup in Brazil.
Ten years have passed. Coach Hong Myung-bo returned to the national team after serving as executive director of the Korea Football Association (KFA) and claiming that Ulsan Hyundai will have its second consecutive win in the league. “It is different from 10 years ago,” Hong said when he took office. “I will bring the national team together as an original team to show better performance.”
During the past 10 years, Hong Myung-bo is also a coach, but Son Heung-min has made so many changes. As a promising player, Son joined Tottenham Hotspur in Hamburg and Leverkusen, writing a myth. He has grown into a world-class player by scoring 122 goals overall in the PL, including the top scorer in the English Premier League during the 2022-2023 season. 먹튀검증
Such a reunion is inevitable. Ten years later, they are back together. Beyond the nightmare of the world com in Brazil, they have come to dream of the glory of the North Korea-China-U.S. World Cup. The word “gwontojungrae” naturally comes to mind. They both expressed their appreciation for the reunion after 10 years.