"There were many impressive players": How many 'Asian Games gold medalists' will Manager Moreno call up?

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"I haven't analyzed them deeply, but there were many impressive players."

It was on the 6th. Robert Moreno (Spain), the interim head coach of the national football team, answered this way when asked if there were any players among the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games gold medalists he had in mind for a call-up. This was during a press conference after concluding the September-October four-match international window with the match against Uzbekistan. He stated, "(The Asian Games team) achieved such results against Japan in the final held in Japan, despite the poor pitch conditions, which is meaningful and remarkable," adding, "What I want the players to know is that the national team door is always open."

With the squad list for the two-match Middle East series against Saudi Arabia and Qatar, scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar next month, set to be announced on the 29th, attention is turning to which of the recent Asian Games gold medalists will receive a call from Manager Moreno. Of course, among the Asian Games members are players who were already part of the senior national team (A-team) that participated in the 2026 FIFA North-Central America World Cup. However, given that the team is starting anew under interim manager Moreno, it cannot be assumed that a player's history with the A-team under the previous manager will necessarily lead to selection for this squad. Only players who meet Manager Moreno's criteria can newly gain an opportunity on the A-team.

The most likely candidate for a spot on the Moreno team is undoubtedly Uhm Ji-sung (Swansea City). Uhm, who participated in the Asian Games as a wildcard, played a dominant role with four goals and four assists, serving as a key contributor to the gold medal. While former manager Hong Myung-bo utilized Uhm as a wing-back resource during the recent World Cup, he is highly likely to take up a position as a left-side attacker on the Moreno team. During the September-October four-match international window, Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke 04, two matches), Song Min-gyu (Nacional), and Kim Min-su (Rangers) started in the left attacking positions for the Moreno team.

Tall attacker Lee Young-jun (Grasshopper Club Zurich), standing at 190cm, can also hope for his first call-up to the senior national team. Although he joined the Asian Games late due to club schedule conflicts, he took charge of the front line for the Lee Min-sung team, scoring in consecutive matches after the tournament began. Having consistently drawn attention as a next-generation attacking resource through age-group representative teams, this friendly match immediately following the Asian Games gold medal could be a good opportunity for selection. However, he will have to compete for selection not only with Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas), who were called up as front-line attacking resources during the previous four-match window, but also with Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland) and Oh Se-hoon (Machida Zelvia).

In addition, players such as Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City) and Kim Ji-soo (Brentford), who have already moved between the senior national team and other levels, are also considered candidates aiming for their first call-up to the Moreno team after the Asian Games. Conversely, Yang Hyeon-jun (Celtic FC), a former senior national team resource, is highly likely to be excluded from this squad list as he has not yet recovered from injury and was unable to make proper appearances during the recent Asian Games either. Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC), a 'World Cup member,' could increase Manager Moreno's dilemma due to strong public criticism amid a recent interview controversy.

The variable of Asian Games members joining is that it makes it difficult for Manager Moreno to fully focus on bold changes or experiments. This friendly match is the last one before the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in January next year, and it is also Manager Moreno's 'contractually' final friendly match. Manager Moreno's decision to lead the team at the Asian Cup will be determined by his performance in the previous four September-October international matches (two wins, one draw, one loss) and these two upcoming matches. As results are becoming as important as performance, the scope for change, such as a large-scale call-up of Asian Games gold medalists, may not be significant.

Manager Moreno is known to plan to travel to Europe after announcing this squad list to meet with so-called '96LINE' players, including Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Hwang In-beom (FC Porto), and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), regarding recent rumors of national team retirement and conflicts with Son Heung-min. The Moreno team will face Saudi Arabia at 11:30 p.m. (Korea time) on the 13th of next month, and Qatar at 11:00 p.m. on the 17th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original