'The competition is effectively over': The outline of Hong Myung-bo's 'World Cup Best 11' emerges

*This content was translated by AI.

The 2026 FIFA North American World Cup is just over two weeks away. Having already announced the final 26-man roster, Hong Myung-bo's squad departed without a domestic send-off ceremony and is currently in Salt Lake City, USA, adapting to the high altitude. As the World Cup approaches, interest in the South Korean national team's best 11 is also growing. StarNews introduces the starting lineup competition based on Coach Hong's tactical deployment trends and the players' match performances. /Editor's note

Unless there is a major surprise, Hong Myung-bo's main tactic for the North American World Cup is likely to be a 3-4-2-1 formation. During the previous World Cup qualifiers, Coach Hong primarily used a 4-2-3-1, but after the qualifiers, he shifted into full World Cup mode and tested a new three-back system. Including the EAFF E-1 Football Championship (East Asian Cup), Hong has deployed the three-back tactic in 10 out of 11 A-match games since the qualifiers.

Along with the tactical shift, the attacking lineup has become both a happy and cruel dilemma for Coach Hong. Under the previous system, four players were deployed in attack, but with the new tactic, only three can be on the field. Coincidentally, this is the position with the highest proportion of overseas-based players, meaning that inevitably, one of the starting-caliber players must start on the bench for every match.

The competition for the central striker position is between Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas). In recent A-match friendlies, Coach Hong has alternated between Oh Hyeon-gyu and Son Heung-min as the central striker. Coach Hong has even left open the possibility of Son Heung-min playing as a 'joker'. Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland) is expected to be used as a 'joker' when a tall striker is needed up front.

Of course, in the central striker role, the weight will inevitably fall on Son Heung-min, the team captain and ace. However, the problem is that Oh Hyeon-gyu's upward trajectory is so steep that using him only as a 'joker' feels like a missed opportunity. In some cases, the possibility of both playing together could be expected; in such scenarios, Oh Hyeon-gyu would likely start up front while Son Heung-min plays on the left wing. However, in that case, another starting-caliber resource on the second line would have to be sacrificed.

The right wing is a solidly established position for Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain). He is expected to play a key role in Hong Myung-bo's attack this World Cup, moving not only on the wing but also widely across the center. As his backup, fellow left-footed player Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan HD) could take his place, or when a direct breakthrough is needed, Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City) or Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic FC) could be deployed.

The left wing is the 'main battleground'. Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), two European big-league players, are expected to engage in fierce competition for the starting spot. Given their vastly different styles, Coach Hong's choice may vary depending on the match dynamics or the opponent's tactics. Lee Jae-sung, who has long served as a key figure in the attack, is more likely to get playing time. Other second-line resources like Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City) could serve as backups for the two, but it seems difficult for them to take the starting spot ahead of Lee Jae-sung and Hwang Hee-chan.

In midfield, Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) is expected to play a key role, with Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City) as his likely partner. Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) is expected to relieve their physical burden. The key factor is Hwang In-beom's physical condition as he recovers from injury. Coach Hong plans to improve Hwang In-beom's match sharpness through two friendly matches, but if his condition does not improve quickly, Kim Jin-gyu and Baek Seung-ho may spend more time playing together in midfield. Although both are classified as defenders, Jens Castrof (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Park Jin-seop (Zhejiang FC) are also resources capable of playing in midfield.

The wingback positions are effectively set for Lee Tae-seok (Austria Vienna) and Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda) as the starting left and right wingbacks. Having been consistently called up since the formation of Hong Myung-bo's squad and performing well at their respective clubs, they have firmly secured their spots as starting wingbacks for this World Cup. Castrof will back up on the left, and Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon Hana Citizen) on the right. The challenge is whether 'wingback Castrof', who has not yet been tested in the national team, can prove his competitiveness through the two friendly matches. If more attacking movement is required from the wingbacks, Eom Ji-sung or Yang Hyun-jun could also be options.

The three-center-back system is expected to be built around Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich). The main dilemma is whether to place Kim Min-jae in the center or on the side of the three-back, but Coach Hong has mostly deployed him in the center, assigning him the sweeper role. On the left stopper position, typically occupied by a left-footed player, Kim Tae-hyun (Kashima Antlers) is in the lead over Lee Gi-hyeok (Gangwon FC), who was a surprise selection. The right stopper position, which had seen fierce competition, now leans slightly more toward Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland) following Cho Yu-min (Sharjah)'s poor performance in the match against Côte d'Ivoire. Park Jin-seop can serve as Kim Min-jae's backup, or a defensive setup where Park starts and Kim Min-jae plays as a stopper is also possible.

The competition for the starting goalkeeper position is effectively in favor of Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo). After initially missing the squad due to injury, Kim Seung-gyu joined after the World Cup qualifiers and conceded only three goals in four A-match games. In contrast, Cho Hyun-woo (Ulsan HD), who wore the goalkeeper gloves throughout the qualifiers, had somewhat disappointing results, conceding five goals against Brazil and four against Côte d'Ivoire after the qualifiers. Since October-November last year, he has been on the bench for three consecutive A-match games, falling behind in the goalkeeper competition. Song Beom-geun (Jeonbuk) has not received many opportunities in A-matches, having been overshadowed by Kim Seung-gyu and Cho Hyun-woo, and will thus participate in this World Cup as the third goalkeeper option.

Meanwhile, Hong Myung-bo's squad will play two friendly matches in Salt Lake City, USA, against Trinidad and Tobago at 10 a.m. (KST) on the 31st, and El Salvador at the same time next month, before heading to the 'decisive venue' in Mexico. They will then begin the North American World Cup group stage A match against the Czech Republic at 11 a.m. on the 12th, followed by matches against Mexico at 10 a.m. on the 19th and South Africa at 10 a.m. on the 25th. In this World Cup, the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams among the 12th groups, will advance to the Round of 32 knockout stage.

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*This content was translated by AI.