Korea 26-man Squad For The 2022 World Cup

The 26-man World Cup roster for Korea has been announced.

Son Heung-min, a South Korean footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and has been injured, was selected for the team and is the one with the most recognizable face.

On Saturday in Seoul, twelve days before South Korea’s opening Group H encounter against Uruguay in Qatar, head coach Paulo Bento presented his 26-man team. Additionally, on November 28, Ghana will play South Korea, and on December 2 Portugal.

In a clash with an opponent player during a UEFA Champions League game, Son sustained several fractures around his left eye, which caused him to undergo surgery in November 4.

There are three goalkeepers on the team, along with nine defenders, twelve midfielders, and two forwards.

Despite Bento’s long-standing opposition to using the 21-year-old midfielder from RCD Mallorca, Lee Kang-in was among the notable players.

Bento had previously defended his choice to not play Lee as a tactical one without providing any additional justification.

Without providing any additional justification, Bento has already defended his decision to forego playing Lee as a strategic one.

For the tenth time in a row, South Korea will compete in the World Cup. They have twice advanced to the knockout stages: the semifinals in 2002, when South Korea and Japan shared hosting duties with the competition, and the round of 16 in South Africa in 2010.

Both Ulsan Hyundai FC’s Jo Hyeon-woo and Al-Shabab FC’s Kim Seung-gyu are goalkeepers who have returned from the 2018 competition. Jo was the top man in Russia back then, but Kim has subsequently replaced him under Bento. Third-string goalkeeper Song Bum-keun from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will start.

The two holdovers from last year’s defense class are Kim Young-gwon of Ulsan and Hong Chul of Daegu FC. Despite having a hamstring injury and missing the most recent camp’s training sessions with South Korea, Kim Jin-su of Jeonbuk was still selected for the team. Due to injury, Kim was left off the teams for the last two World Cups.

Son, Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Lee Jae-sung of Mainz 05, and Jung Woo-young of Al Sadd are the four returnees from the midfield corps from last year, even though Son and Hwang were both classed as forwards four years ago.

The complete group is visible below.