'Like Lee Seung-woo in 2018, Lee Kang-in in 2022': Could Hong Myung-bo also make a 'surprise selection'? [Three days until the final World Cup roster announcement]

*This content was translated by AI.

The announcement of the final roster for the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup for the South Korea national football team is just three days away. Head coach Hong Myung-bo will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. on the 16th at the West Onmadang, KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to announce the 26th-player final roster for the World Cup.

Appointed in August 2024 amid controversy over the fairness of his selection, Coach Hong has led the team in 21 matches since taking charge: 10 matches in the final Asian qualifiers for the World Cup, three matches in the EAFF E-1 Football Championship (East Asian Cup), and eight friendly matches. During this period, a total of 69 players answered Coach Hong's call and donned the Taegeuk mark. It is highly likely that Coach Hong will finalize the roster from within this pool of players and those he has already relied upon.

The variable lies in whether there will be a 'surprise selection' based on injuries to existing players or recent form. Coach Hong has previously indicated that he will select the player showing the best form in May, stating, "Anyone can make it into the final roster," suggesting an open competition until the end. Recently, Coach Hong has also personally visited K League professional matches to check on players.

Looking back at recent World Cups, there has always been a 'surprise selection.' At the 2018 FIFA Russia World Cup, then-coach Shin Tae-yong included Lee Seung-woo (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, then Hellas Verona), Moon Sun-min (FC Seoul, then Incheon United), and Oh Ban-seok (then Jeju United) in the 28th-player preliminary roster about a month before the tournament opened. This marked the first call-up for players, including Lee Seung-woo, who had no prior experience with the A national team. After being tested in two domestic friendly matches against Honduras and Bosnia and Herzegovina, they made the final roster and became a topic of discussion.

During the 2022 Qatar World Cup under Portuguese coach Paulo Bento, Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain, then Valencia) was the surprise selection. At the time, Coach Bento faced frequent criticism for not even calling up Lee Kang-in despite his strong performances with his club. During the final friendly match before the World Cup against Cameroon, spectators were seen chanting Lee Kang-in's name when they saw him sitting on the bench and visible on the scoreboard. However, Coach Bento ultimately did not give Lee Kang-in a single minute of playing time in the two domestic friendly matches before the World Cup. It seemed highly likely that Lee Kang-in would be left out of the final World Cup roster.

However, Coach Bento selected Lee Kang-in for the final Qatar World Cup roster. This was a surprise call-up for Lee Kang-in, who had not been relied upon throughout Bento's tenure and was even overlooked in the final friendly match before the World Cup. Afterward, Lee Kang-in played as a joker in the Group Stage match against Ghana, assisting a goal by Cho Gue-sung, and started in the final Group Stage match against Portugal, which determined qualification for the Round of 16. The Qatar World Cup became the starting point for Lee Kang-in to fully establish himself as a key resource for the A national team.

Just as players who were not relied upon or never tested during the World Cup preparation process made the final roster just before the tournament in previous cases, Coach Hong Myung-bo may also be considering the 'surprise selection' card. Especially in positions where the starting and backup structure is not yet firmly established and where question marks remain, there is a possibility that a new player who catches Coach Hong's attention through recent performances with their clubs could emerge.

The player receiving the most attention recently is Lee Seung-woo. In the match against FC Anyang held at Anyang Stadium on the 10th, he scored again, recording back-to-back goals. Coincidentally, Coach Hong visited the stadium and watched the scene. Of course, there are significant hurdles: the fact that even Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan HD), the 2023 K League 1 Most Valuable Player (MVP), cannot be certain of making the final roster, indicating that the second tier of the national team is saturated, and that Lee Seung-woo's first and only call-up to the A national team since Coach Hong's appointment was in October 2024. However, if Coach Hong highly values his utility as a joker and his unique profile compared to players at his current club, an unexpected selection could occur.

With the recovery of center-back Kim Ju-seong (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), who has been sidelined due to injury, uncertain, attention is also focused on whether Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC), Kwon Kyung-won (Anyang), or Jo Wi-je (Jeonbuk) will make a surprise call-up. In the case of Kwon Kyung-won, he started in three of four A-match games in March and June of last year when Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) was out due to injury. Lee Ki-hyuk and Jo Wi-je are being mentioned as candidates who could make a surprise call-up to the final World Cup roster based on their recent performances with their clubs.

In addition, positions such as wing-backs on the flanks or midfield, where the starting and backup structure is not yet firmly established, or positions where injuries have been frequent, are also considered areas where Coach Hong Myung-bo might pull the 'surprise card.' However, suddenly selecting a player who has not had a chance to build chemistry with the team involves accepting a certain level of 'risk.' From Coach Hong's perspective, it is expected that he will continue to deliberate cautiously until the end regarding a surprise selection for the final roster.

Meanwhile, once the final roster is announced today, the Hong Myung-bo team will depart for the U.S., their pre-camp location, via Incheon International Airport on the 18th. Players based overseas will join the team in the U.S. after completing their club schedules. The Hong Myung-bo team will play friendly matches in Salt Lake City, U.S., against Trinidad and Tobago at 10 a.m. on the 31st and El Salvador at the same time next month. Afterward, they will move to the final venue in Mexico and play Group A matches against the Czech Republic on the 12th, Mexico on the 19th, and South Africa on the 25th.

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*This content was translated by AI.