Son Heung-min is injured, can't he play an A match! Hong Myung-bo's 26-man Taegeuk Warriors list is announced. Director Hong Myung-bo "Son Heung-min's participation is uncertain"
Sep 30, 2024
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Coach Hong Myung-bo of the Korean national soccer team held a press conference at the Korea Football Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 30th. In October, the list of 26 Taegeuk Warriors to play in the second consecutive Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup was announced.
South Korea will play the third Group B match against Jordan in Amman, Jordan, on the 10th of next month, and the fourth match against Iraq at home on the 15th.
They are formidable teams. Iraq (55th) and Jordan (68th) are ranked second in the FIFA rankings after South Korea (23rd) in Group B.
Jordan beat South Korea in the 2023 Qatar Asian Cup semifinals this year. It's a team that suffered a painful defeat. It was also a draw in the group stage.
It is the biggest crisis for the North Korea-China World Cup.
The front line has newly selected Oh Hyun-kyu, who plays for Genk in Belgium. He has scored consecutive goals in the last two games. It is the peak form with three consecutive offensive points.
Key striker Bae Jun-ho, who plays for England EFL Stoke City, was also selected.
In the midfield and defense, Scottish League midfielder Kwon Hyuk-kyu (Hibernian) put on the national flag for the first time in his life, and Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City) also joined again.
Kim Min-jae (Munhen) has chosen Kim Joo-sung, one of the center back partner candidates for FC Seoul. Key resources such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) remained on the list.
However, Son Heung-min was unable to play in the EPL Tottenham-Manchester United match due to a hamstring injury. There is a possibility that he will not be able to play in the A-match in October.
Coach Hong said, `We have to wait and see whether Son Heung-min will play or not.'
Domestic Taegeuk Warriors will leave Incheon International Airport for Amman, Jordan, on Oct. 6. Overseas players join from Amman.
◇2026 North Korea-China World Cup 3rd Asian qualifying round soccer team roster (26)
▶ Goalkeeper (GK) = Kim Seung-gyu (Al-Shabaab), Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan), Kim Joon-hong (Jeonbuk) ▶ Defender (DF) = Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Cho Yoo-min (Sharja), Lee Myung-jae (Ulsan), Jung Seung-hyun (Al-Wasl), Lee Han-beom (Mit Willan), Kim Joo-sung (Seoul), Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), Hwang Moon-ki (Gangwon), Park Min-gyu (Sapporo), ▶ Midfielder (MF) = Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
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