South African media, who are nervous about the Korean match, selected "5 people" for the World Cup alert only

*This content was translated by AI.

In the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup finals, the South Korean national soccer team and a South African media in the same group selected and released five South Korean players to be wary of.

Afrikfoot, a South African soccer media outlet, said on the 8th (Korea Standard Time) in an article titled "5 Korean stars who can threaten South Africa at the World Cup." "South Korea will play in the World Cup as a team with abundant experience and technology. In particular, if South Africa wants to have a chance against South Korea, we need to be wary of five South Korean players who can change the flow of the game in a moment."

The first player mentioned was Son Heung-min (34, LAFC). A media outlet that introduced Son Heung-min as "the most goals scored in Korean A-match history (actually Cha Bum-keun scored 58 goals, Son Heung-min ranked second with 54 goals) and a symbol of Asian soccer" explained, "After a brilliant career at Tottenham, I moved to LAFC last year, surprising many people, and he still showed dominance with double-digit scores and assists."

"Speed, finishing ability, and ability to create something out of nothing make Son Heung-min even more fatal," he said. "At the age of 33, he still has the physical strength and intelligence to penetrate the defense gap. The ability to quickly switch and finish in counterattacks is a major threat, he added.

Kim Min-jae (30, Bayern Munich) was also listed. "Kim Min-jae is one of the best defenders in the world, and after leading Napoli to the Serie A championship, he moved to Bayern Munich and became the core of the defense line," Afrikfoot said. "He is a nightmare for strikers with control of the ball in the air, strength in competition, and build-up ability from the back." As there is also a set piece threat, we must be prepared," he cautioned.

The media then introduced Lee Kang-in (25, Paris Saint-Germain) as "Korea's maestro" and said, "He has grown by competing with top European players at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and his ability to see, pass and coordinate games is evaluated at the world class level. It shines more in a narrow space, and you can break down the defense with just one pass. If you give him time to own the ball, I will divide the defense," he said.

Hwang Hee-chan (30, Wolverhampton) was also on the alert. Nicknamed the 'Bull' because of his aggressive style, he combines speed, power and tireless pressure, Afrikfoot said. He is a versatile striker who can digest both the sides and the center. His ability to dig into the back of the defense makes him a constant threat. "I also have the ability to score a single opportunity," he said.

The last player introduced was Oh Hyun-kyu (25, KRC Genk). The media said, "Oh Hyun-kyu is the next Korean national team striker, strong and mobile. He has a strong desire for goals, so he has already scored important goals in World Cup qualifiers and friendly matches," he said. "Physical strength and ball-keeping ability can add a new dimension to Korea's offense. He explained, "I can be a perfect helper for Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan."

In the meantime, Afrikfoot said, "Korea is in harmony with experience and young players. Son Heung-min's excellent ability, Lee Kang-in's creativity, Hwang Hee-chan's aggression, Kim Min-jae's solidity and Oh Hyun-kyu's unpredictability can threaten the opponent in various ways, he said. "Organized defense and quick counterattack conversion will be key for South Africa to neutralize such South Korean threats."

South Korea and South Africa will compete in Group A with Mexico and the winner of the UEFA (PO) Pass D (Denmark, Czech Republic, Ireland, and North Macedonia). This is the first North American World Cup to face off in history. South Korea ranked 22nd and South Africa 61st in the FIFA rankings, showing a wide gap. It has been 16 years since South Africa entered the World Cup finals in 2010, and all three World Cups have been eliminated from the group stage.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.