Hong Myung-bo's team, facing the "biggest variable of the World Cup," begins high-altitude training: "Breathing is difficult and the body feels heavy... it's definitely different."

*This content was translated by AI.

The 2026 FIFA North American World Cup campaign has officially begun. The Taegeuk Warriors are sharing their thoughts on adaptation training in their own ways, solidifying their determination for the World Cup.

According to a video released by the Korea Football Association (KFA) on the 20th via its official channel, the Cha Rin (CEO) team, which has set up camp in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, is conducting high-intensity off-season training focused on high-altitude adaptation.

Jens Castrof (Borussia Mönchengladbach) said in the video, "It is truly an honor to play in my first World Cup with a large country like South Korea. I look forward to the passionate support of the fans." He added, "Many Korean fans have already sent support messages, and I am truly grateful," expressing his overwhelming feelings.

The surprise selection, Lee Gi-hyeok (Gangwon FC), also received congratulatory greetings with a bright smile. Lee Gi-hyeok said, "At first, I felt like I had won a prize, but I adapted quickly. In fact, it didn't feel real, so I was just zoning out, but when everyone around me congratulated me, I finally came to my senses. The coach was really happy, and I think my family was the happiest." He recalled the moment of his selection.

Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City) mentioned that he had experienced the high altitude of Mexico during his youth days at Barcelona, saying, "I remember being 15 years old. I was extremely out of breath and got tired quickly. At the time, I had no time to adapt and had to play immediately." He conveyed the fear of high altitude to his teammates.

The players' reactions to high-altitude adaptation after the first day of training at the high-altitude Salt Lake City were polarized. Lee Dong-kyung (Ulsan HD) said, "It's the first day, so I'm not sure yet, but it's not that severe yet. It feels like I've come to Jeju Island's Hallasan," showing a calm reaction.

On the other hand, Lee Gi-hyeok honestly shared the hardships of the training, continuing the teammates' exposure game. Lee Gi-hyeok said, "The air is definitely different and I'm out of breath. But when I asked other players, they all said they were fine. Am I the only one who isn't fine?" He then joked, "In my opinion, they are all lying. Clearly, when there was no camera just now, they were all struggling because their bodies felt heavy and their breathing was bad, but they are pretending to be strong in front of the camera."

Earlier, Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national football team, pointed out the high-altitude environment as a key variable for this World Cup at the final roster announcement press conference, stating, "We will face the variable of high altitude from the group stage. We will prepare for this as a priority." He emphasized, "We will not conduct high-intensity training for the next 2 to 3 days."

The national team plans to stay in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, for more than two weeks to undergo thorough high-altitude adaptation training. Along with local tactical training, they will check their strength by playing friendly matches against Trinidad and Tobago at 10 a.m. (KST) on the 31st and El Salvador at 10 a.m. next month on the 4th. After finishing the final mock exam, the national team will enter the base camp in Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 5th, the decisive location, and begin the official group stage schedule.

South Korea, which is in Group A of this tournament's finals, will play its first group stage match against the Czech Republic at 11 a.m. on the 12th. Then, on the 19th at 10 a.m. at the same venue, they will face the host country Mexico, followed by their final group stage match against South Africa at 10 a.m. on the 25th at Monterrey's Estadio BBVA.

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*This content was translated by AI.