Despite Hong Myung-bo's neglect, 'Korean fan support' is firmly secured... Jens, who enjoyed the 'unexpected World Cup effect', now focuses on Korean football

*This content was translated by AI.

For Jens Castroff (23·Borussia Mönchengladbach), the first mixed-race player born abroad for the South Korean men's national A-team, the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup will remain a somewhat bitter tournament.

After passing through Germany Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO), he changed his affiliated football association to pursue his mother's nationality Han Guk-eul (CEO), and after fierce competition made it to the final World Cup roster, but in his first World Cup he played only 45 minutes in a single match.

In fact, while Castroff established himself as a starting wing-back at Mönchengladbach in the German Bundesliga and performed well, he was relegated to 'backup' status in Hong Myung-bo's squad for the North American World Cup.

Head coach Hong Myung-bo started Lee Tae-seok (Austria Wien) as the left wing-back in the Group Stage opener against Czech Republic, and in the second match moved Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda), who had primarily played on the right, to the left side, denying Castroff a starting opportunity. The substitution card also went to Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), who is closer to an attacking resource.

Castroff finally got his chance to play in the final Group Stage match against South Africa, where a draw would have secured advancement to the Round of 32. At that time, he was substituted in at the start of the second half while the score was tied 0-0, stepping onto the World Cup stage he had dreamed of. However, on that very day, South Korea lost 0-1 to South Africa and ultimately failed to advance from the group stage. Castroff's first-ever World Cup ended with just one substitute appearance.

However, since the players who started as left wing-backs during the World Cup period failed to deliver impressive performances, and Hong's continued neglect of Castroff only intensified fan interest in him. His unique background—having passed through Germany Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) before choosing the South Korean A-team, his career as a starter in the Bundesliga, and his handsome appearance—allowed him to enjoy an 'unexpected World Cup effect' regardless of the team's poor results.

German media Bild also reported on the 7th (Korea time): "Sportingly, Castroff's North American World Cup was not a successful tournament, but at least in other aspects it was a huge success. His social media (SNS) follower count has exploded." It added, "His current SNS follower count has surged to 141,000 from about 49,000 before the World Cup—an increase of nearly 100,000. Many of the newly acquired followers appear to be Korean fans. This is because he was a relatively unknown player in Korea despite being born in Düsseldorf."

In fact, after the World Cup, Castroff posted on SNS with deep regret: "It's a disappointing result. It wasn't the World Cup I dreamed of, but it was an unforgettable journey." Many fans responded with comments like "I'm sorry" and "We apologize instead," linking Hong Myung-bo's tactics and substitutions to express apologies and comfort toward Castroff. Following Bild's report, his SNS follower count continued to rise and is now approaching 150,000.

Of course, he has secured more than just 'fan support'. His experience playing in the World Cup at a young age, combined with his multi-capability to play both as a wing-back and midfielder, makes him a likely important option for the next head coach rather than Hong Myung-bo, who neglected him. Moreover, recent reports indicate that VfB Stuttgart is eyeing him as a potential signing for the new season. This is a 'love call' from a team qualified for the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League (UCL), signifying that he has been recognized for his competitiveness locally.

Naturally, Castroff is likely to leave behind the regrets of the North American World Cup under Hong Myung-bo's regime and establish himself as a key player in the new Korean national team setup. After the World Cup, Castroff also stated, "I will learn from this experience, become stronger, return again, and keep fighting," while adding, "This is just the beginning," vowing steady growth starting from the North American World Cup.

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*This content was translated by AI.