Why Hwang In-beom Stands Out Despite South Korea's Shocking World Cup Exit: "Porto Watched Him Since Before the World Cup"

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korea's football team suffered a shocking exit from the World Cup, yet Hwang In-beom (30, Feyenoord) has gained even greater recognition. It is reported that FC Porto, a prestigious club in Portugal, has shown interest in signing him.

On the 11th (Korean time), Dutch media VoetbalPrimeur, citing Portuguese outlet Record, reported: "Porto has put Hwang In-beom, who delivered outstanding performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, on its recruitment radar."

According to reports, Porto had been monitoring Hwang In-beom even before the North American World Cup began. His strong performances during the tournament further heightened their interest.

The media stated: "Porto has been closely watching South Korean midfielder Hwang In-beom. His performance at the North American World Cup sparked interest from one of Portugal's top clubs, Porto." It added: "Porto had already observed Hwang's performances in previous tournaments, and this competition solidified his position on their radar."

Under former coach Hong Myung-bo, South Korea endured a historic low at the North American World Cup, finishing 34th overall. When initially drawn into Group A alongside host nation Mexico, Czechia, and South Africa, there was optimism about their chances. However, the result was one win and two losses, placing them third in the group.

Notably, South Korea needed only a draw to advance to the Round of 32 as the second-place team in Group A but lost 0-1 to South Africa in the final group stage match—a critical defeat.

This tournament allowed not only the top two teams from each group but also the eight best-performing third-placed teams among all groups to advance to the Round of 32. However, South Korea finished 10th among third-place teams and failed to reach even the knockout stage, ending their World Cup journey prematurely.

Nevertheless, Hwang In-beom's performance was commendable. Most notably, he scored one goal and provided one assist in the group stage opener against Czechia, leading South Korea to a 2-1 comeback victory.

VoetbalPrimeur reported: "Hwang In-beom played in all three group stage matches at the North American World Cup, starting every game and recording one goal and one assist. However, despite the win against Czechia, it was not enough for South Korea to advance to the knockout stage."

Porto is a prestigious club representing Portugal. Notable players include Portuguese national team goalkeeper Diogo Costa. Last season, Brazilian legend Thiago Silva (currently at Fluminense) also joined on a short-term basis.

Recently, rumors have emerged about Porto potentially signing Danish attacking midfielder Viktor Proholth. The club has consistently been linked with midfield reinforcements, and Hwang In-beom is among those names.

However, no formal transfer process has yet begun. According to VoetbalPrimeur, Porto has not officially submitted a proposal to Feyenoord for Hwang In-beom nor engaged in concrete negotiations.

Feyenoord, a prestigious Dutch club, signed Hwang In-beom in September 2024. His contract runs until the summer of 2028. The media explained: "Hwang's versatility as a midfielder is considered a powerful asset for Porto." It added: "According to Transfermarkt, Hwang's market value is estimated at €7 million (approximately 12 billion won)."

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*This content was translated by AI.