The South Korean national team led by coach Paulo Bento left for Qatar on November 14. The team will stay at Le Meridien City Center Hotel in West Bay, and will train at the training grounds No. 5 at Al Egla training grounds in Lusail. (QNA)
Qatar marks South Korea’s 11th appearance at the World Cup (first in 1954 in Switzerland and 10th straight since 1986 in Mexico). Also known as 더뜨겁게theReds, the team have reached the knockout rounds only twice — making the semifinals at home during the 2002 Wold Cup co-hosted with Japan, and the last 16 in the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Road to Qatar
South Korea’s 2-0 win over Syria in Dubai in February 1, 2022, coming hot-on-the-heels of a 1-0 victory over Lebanon January 27, 2022, meant Paulo Bento’s side became the 15th nation to qualify for the 32-team FIFA tournament. Their flag was raised along with other World Cup qualifying nations at Doha Corniche on February 3, 2022.
Speaking at the ceremony, South Korean Ambassador to Qatar HE Joon-ho Lee said: “I am very pleased our national team have qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This is our tenth successive World Cup qualification, we are the first in Asia to achieve this feat of ten qualification. Our team has so many distinguished players like Hung Son who is great performance in the English Premier League. So I am looking forward to our team’s practice here and many of the Korean football fans too,” according to Qatar Tribune.
Qualifying results here; Qualifying analysis here.
South Korea’s World Cup Squad (click the link for more details):
On November 12, 2022, just two days before their departure to Qatar, their 26-man squad for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was announced. Son Heung-min has been included in South Korea’s 26-man squad for this month’s World Cup finals in Qatar despite suffering a fractured eye socket playing for Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League earlier this month. (with reports from https://sportstar.thehindu.com/)
Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-Gyu, Jo Hyeon-Woo, Song Bum-Keun
Defenders: Kim Min-Jae, Kim Young-Gwon, Kwon Kyung-Won, Cho Yu-Min, Kim Moon-Hwan, Yoon Jong-Gyu, Kim Tae-Hwan, Kim Jin-Su, Hong Chul
Midfielders: Jung Woo-Young, Son Jun-Ho, Paik Seung-Ho, Hwang In-Beom, Lee Jae-Sung, Kwon Chang-Hoon, Jeong Woo-Yeong, Lee Kang-In, Son Heung-Min, Hwang Hee-Chan, Na Sang-Ho, Song Min-Kyu.
Forwards: Hwang Ui-Jo, Cho Gue-Sung.
South Korea is looking to qualify for the knockout rounds for the first time since 2010, when they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Uruguay. This 2022, they open their Group H campaign against Uruguay on November 24 before facing Ghana on November 28, and Portugal on December 2 – all at the Education City Stadium.
