*This content was translated by AI.View Original
Despite the "retirement uproar" that shook the South Korean national football team, the core players remained unchanged in wearing the Taeguk badge. Captain Son Heung-min (LAFC), along with the "trio of 1996-born peers," Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Hwang In-beom (Porto), and Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke), all made the list for the November A-matches.
Robert Moreno, head coach of the South Korea national football team, held a press conference at 2 p.m. on the 29th at Cheonan Korea Football Park in Chungnam Province to announce the call-up list for the Taeguk Warriors heading into the November A-matches.
South Korea will play two away friendly matches against Saudi Arabia on November 13 and Qatar on the 17th in Doha, Qatar. This is the final A-match schedule for this year.
The biggest point of interest in this list announcement was whether Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan would be selected. This followed rumors of national team retirement and discord within the squad that emerged after the September–October A-matches.
At the time, South Korea played four friendly matches against Ecuador, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Uzbekistan, recording two wins, one draw, and one loss. It seemed they would conclude the schedule with a victory in the final match against Uzbekistan, but unexpected controversy erupted after the game.
Rumors arose that "96LINE" players such as Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan were considering a joint retirement from the national team. The situation intensified with suspicions added that there was discord between Son Heung-min, who has worn the captain's armband for nine years, and some of the other players.
In particular, rumors surfaced that Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan harbored dissatisfaction with Son Heung-min's leadership, raising concerns about the internal atmosphere within the national team.
In this situation, Coach Moreno called back all four players. Regardless of the controversy, he made the choice to retain the existing core players.
Son Heung-min is a star player who has been responsible for the national team's attack for a long time. Kim Min-jae is the center of the defense, and Hwang In-beom is a key resource leading the midfield. Hwang Hee-chan also possesses quick speed and breakthrough ability, allowing him to bolster the national team's attack.
In particular, Kim Min-jae was included in the national team list despite recent injury concerns. He played only the first half before being substituted in the UEFA Champions League match against Arsenal on the 22nd, and missed the German Bundesliga match against Freiburg entirely on the 26th. Accordingly, attention is expected to focus on Kim Min-jae's physical condition along with this selection.
Existing mainstays of the national team also received Coach Moreno's call. Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas), and Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland) were all included in the list.
New faces are also noticeable. FC Seoul prospect Son Jeong-beom made the list. He contributed to Seoul's K League 1 title this year. His strength is his excellent passing play as a midfielder.
Members of the Asian Games gold medal team who were absent from the September–October A-matches have returned to the national team. Uhm Ji-sung (Swansea City) was selected. However, Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC), who faced fierce criticism due to an interview controversy immediately after winning the gold medal, was excluded. Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City) was also left out.
Uhm Ji-sung participated in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and did not make Coach Moreno's initial call-up list. However, he has entered the fierce competition for starting positions after receiving another call from the senior national team.
Coach Moreno selected a total of 30 players ahead of the four-match A-match series in September–October last time. This time, he chose 26 players. Unlike the previous call-up, which involved four friendly matches held domestically, changes occurred in the player composition as this schedule involves two away matches.
Coach Moreno is known to be traveling to Barcelona, Spain, on this day to directly check the physical condition and performance of overseas-based players. In the process, he is expected to meet and converse with Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan.
This November A-match is also important for Coach Moreno personally. As the current interim commander-in-chief, his contract runs until November, and whether it will be extended may depend on the results of these friendly matches and future decisions by the Korea Football Association.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
