Hong Myung-bo, who finally departs amid much controversy, will reveal its first list today.
Coach Hong Myung-bo of the Korean national soccer team will announce the list of players who will play in the first and second rounds of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North Korea and the U.S. at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Both matches will take place next month.
South Korea will invite the Palestinians to Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 5th of next month. It will also play the second round away match against Oman at the Muscat Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Oman at 11 p.m. on the 10th (Korea time).
This A-match is Hong’s first return to the national team as head coach in more than a decade after resigning in July 2014. Hong was eliminated by one draw and two losses without even winning a single match in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He finally resigned as the national team leader due to controversy over “human-line soccer” in which many of the bronze medal members of the 2012 London Olympics were selected as the final list of the World Cup. When he was the first head coach, his winning rate for one year was 26.3 percent (5 wins, 4 draws and 10 losses).
He returned to the ground as manager of Ulsan Hyundai in 2020. He seemed to be regaining his reputation by winning two K-League trophies until last season.
However, the process of returning to the national team for the first time in 10 years was not smooth. The Korea Football Association failed to appoint a foreign coach after former coach Jurgen Klinsmann stepped down in February. Since then, it appointed Hong last month. Earlier, Hong had stressed that he has no intention of accepting the position as coach of the national team. His sudden change of mind angered soccer fans.
After returning to the national team amid criticism, Hong went on a business trip to Europe to appoint a foreign coach team. He also made his first move as a coach by holding interviews with players from major European leagues, including Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae.
He called ▲Park Geon-ha ▲ Kim Dong-jin ▲ Kim Jin-gyu as a coach in Korea. As foreign coaches, he brought in João Arroso from Portugal and Maia from Ciagou.
The roster will likely include key players from European leagues, including ▲ Son Heung-min ▲ Kim Min-jae ▲ Lee Kang-in ▲ Hwang Hee-chan ▲ Hwang In-beom. It seems that Joo Min-gyu, the mainstay of the national team, is expected to be selected as the front line where Cho Kyu-seong has been sidelined due to his injury. Attention is also focusing on how Hong, 메이저놀이터 who is well aware of the situation in the K-League, will set up a Korean team.
Attention is also focusing on whether the new faces of Gangwon FC Yang Min-hyuk, who swept all individual awards this season, and another young gun Yoon Do-young (Daejeon Hana Citizen) will be included. Attention is also focusing on whether Lee Seung-woo, who has not been involved with the national team recently, will be included.