'Played Only One Match' Jens: "Not the World Cup I Dreamed Of, Regrettable Result... This Is Just the Beginning"

*This content was translated by AI.

Jens Kaastorpf (23, Borussia Mönchengladbach), who played as the first foreign-born mixed-race player for the South Korean national football team, shared his thoughts on finishing the World Cup tournament with regret.

The South Korean national football team finished the group stage in third place in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North, Central America, and the Caribbean, recording one win and two losses (3 points, 2 goals scored, 3 goals conceded, goal difference -1).

With the number of participating countries expanded to 48 in this World Cup, not only the top two teams in each group but also the top eight teams among the third-place finishers across the 12th groups could catch the last train to the Round of 32.

South Korea assembled its national team for this tournament centered on top-tier overseas players such as Son Heung-min (LAFC), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich). Optimism continued to pour in, with expectations not only of reaching the Round of 32 but even the Round of 16.

After a 2-1 comeback victory against Czechia in the first match, South Korea narrowly lost 0-1 to Mexico in the second match. At that point, the mood was still okay. However, losing 0-1 to South Africa in the third match after a poor performance was too fatal.

Ultimately, South Korea could only keep hoping for the scenario of advancing in third place. On the morning of the 28th, when the Democratic Republic of the Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3-1, South Korea's elimination was confirmed. South Korea fell to ninth among the third-place teams and had to pack its bags regardless of the remaining Group J match results.

Jens Kaastorpf appeared in one match as a substitute in this World Cup. He was substituted in alongside Son Heung-min right at the start of the second half in the South Africa match and stepped onto the field. And that became his final match of this World Cup.

On the 28th (Korea time), Jens announced via his social networking service (SNS) in both English and Korean, "It is a regrettable result," adding, "It was not the World Cup I had dreamed of, but it was a journey I will never forget."

He continued, "When we think of the effort, sacrifice, and faith we poured into this journey, I sincerely believe we deserved to enjoy more. But sometimes, football is just like that."

Jens further said, "I sincerely thank everyone who supported us at every moment. Through this experience, I will learn, become stronger, return again, and continue to fight."

Finally, he said, "This is just the beginning," looking forward to the future.

Meanwhile, Jens Kaastorpf was born in Germany to a Korean mother and a German father and played for the German Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) team. Recently, he followed his mother's nationality and transferred his affiliation from the German Football Association to the Korea Football Association. He was first called up to the South Korean national team during the A-match period last September, running onto the field against Mexico and the United States, leaving a strong impression on Korean fans. His ability to play both attacking midfielder and defensive midfielder positions was expected to be a great boost for South Korean football, and he displayed good performances in this World Cup as well.

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

*This content was translated by AI.