"Deeply deliberated" Coach Hong Myung-bo ultimately selected just one "World Cup surprise pick"... The protagonist of the "A-match 1-game" upset [Gwanghwamun On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

The choice made by Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korea national football team, who was said to have been deeply deliberated, ultimately turned out to be "stability." Except for Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC), there were virtually no radical changes or surprise picks as anticipated by some in the football community.

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korea national football team, held a press conference at 4 p.m. on the 16th at West Onmadang, KT Gwanghwamun Building, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and unexpectedly unveiled the final 26-man roster that will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in North America.

After announcing the final roster, Coach Hong Myung-bo stated, "We had intense debates until the last moment regarding the composition of the midfield and defense, and the deliberation was deep." It is reported that due to the unique characteristics of this World Cup, which will be held with 48 teams for the first time, there were various variables such as travel distance, climate, and time differences, so they were cautious in selecting resources to control these factors.

However, when the final roster was finally revealed, there were no major changes as expected. Core European-based players who support both offense and defense, such as captain Son Heung-min (LAFC), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), were included without any surprises, and midfielders who formed the core of the existing Hong Myung-bo team, including Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), retained their positions. Multi-player Jens Castrof (Mönchengladbach), who settled into the Lee Hu (CEO) team, also successfully made the roster without issue.

The resource considered the only "surprise pick" in this roster is Lee Ki-hyuk. Coach Hong Myung-bo sought a multi-player resource essential for the tournament and selected Lee Ki-hyuk, who played as a central defender, midfielder, and full-back for Gangwon, demonstrating excellent build-up ability. Coach Hong Myung-bo explained the selection background, saying, "I thought multi-ability was important. Lee Ki-hyuk was the core of Gangwon."

In fact, ahead of this roster announcement, there was great interest both inside and outside the football community regarding the potential surprise return of Lee Seung-woo (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) to the national team, who has been performing exceptionally well in the K League 1 and has been evaluated as meeting the "May form" emphasized by Coach Hong Myung-bo. Names such as tall striker Lee Ho-jae (Pohang Steelers) and experienced defender Kwon Kyung-won (FC Anyang) were also mentioned.

However, their names were not included in Coach Hong Myung-bo's final selection. Instead of taking risks, he placed complete trust in the resources who have protected the Gi Jon (CEO) team. Defender Jo Wi-je (Jeonbuk), who had gathered expectations, was also relegated to a player outside the final 26-man roster (reserve roster) and had to be satisfied with accompanying Sang-yoon and Yoon Ki-wook to the finals to experience the pressure of a major tournament firsthand.

As a result, Coach Hong Myung-bo put an end to the fierce selection process that continued for about two years, emphasizing tactical continuity and organizational stability. Coach Hong Myung-bo said, "I am grateful to all players who have passed through the national team, and I will not forget the sweat and effort shed by the players who did not make the final roster up to this point." He added, "As the coach, I will protect this team until the end, so I hope the fans will also support us."

Having finalized the final roster, the Hong Myung-bo team will depart for their pre-camp site in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, on the 18th, two days later, with a core group of K League players and coaching staff, officially beginning their World Cup journey. They will undergo high-altitude adaptation training and receive preventive shots through two friendly matches against Trinidad and Tobago at 10 a.m. on the 31st and El Salvador at 10 a.m. on June 4.

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*This content was translated by AI.