South Korea head into the 2026 World Cup having gone unbeaten in qualifying, but with the manager facing criticism
The South Korean national team will begin their campaign at the 2026 World Cup following a successful qualifying campaign in which they remained unbeaten. In 16 matches, the team secured 11 wins and five draws, scoring 40 goals and conceding just eight.
Despite these results, there is little optimism among the fans. Much of the criticism is directed at head coach Hong Myung-bo, who previously captained the South Korean national team during their historic run to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup.
Recently, the manager has moved away from the team’s traditional 4-2-3-1 formation with high pressing and has begun to use a more cautious system with three or five defenders. The coach himself explained this as a necessity to strengthen the defence at the World Cup. However, the results following the change in tactics have been mixed, and the new formation has failed to provide stability in defence.
Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and defender Kim Min-jae remain the team’s leaders. Journalists describe this trio as the national team’s main strength, combining attacking and defensive potential. Furthermore, no fewer than 11 players in the current squad already have experience of playing at World Cups.
At the same time, the team has its share of problems. The national team relies heavily on 33-year-old Son Heung-min, who has yet to score in the MLS this season. The average age of the squad is over 28, and the fitness of midfielder Hwang In-beom is a cause for concern.
Further criticism was sparked by heavy defeats in friendly matches against Brazil (0-5) and Côte d’Ivoire (0-4). Two draws against Palestine during World Cup qualifying also drew a negative reaction.
Son Heung-min remains one of the team’s key players. The forward holds the national team’s record for the number of appearances and is just two goals away from Cha Bum-kun’s record for goals scored for the national side. The player himself joked that he had been saving his goals specifically for the World Cup, which will be his fourth and, likely, his last.
Jens Castrop is also attracting attention. In March 2025, he played for the German youth team, and by September he had become the first player with dual nationality to play for the South Korean national team, thanks to his Korean heritage on his mother’s side.
Another key player is midfielder Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain. He has two Champions League titles to his name, although he did not feature in the finals. Last season, the player scored four goals.
Head coach Hong Myung-bo is in his second spell in charge of the national team. He previously managed the side at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where the team failed to progress beyond the group stage. As a player, Hong Myung-bo became the first Asian player to feature in four consecutive World Cups, and was awarded the Bronze Ball at the 2002 World Cup on home soil.
For South Korea, this will be their eleventh consecutive World Cup. The team will compete in Group A alongside Mexico, the Czech Republic and South Africa. Many consider reaching the knockout stages to be the minimum target for the national team at the tournament.
