“Super-sized bad luck hits both Korea and Japan”: Kim Tae-hyun faces long-term absence due to tibia fracture… Moreno sighs, his club Kashima on alert

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kim Tae-hyun (26, Kashima Antlers) suffered a leg fracture during a match with his club team. The injury is also expected to impact the composition of the South Korean national team's defensive line.

Kashima announced on the 29th (Korean time) via its official club website that Kim Tae-hyun was diagnosed with a fracture in the proximal right tibia following detailed examinations.

Kim Tae-hyun started in the 12th round match against Kashiwa Reysol in Japan's J1 League on the 24th. Just before the final whistle, he collided with opposing forward Hosoya Mao and fell after stepping awkwardly on his right leg. Kashima manager Oniki Toru said immediately after the match, "I hope it is not a serious injury," but examination results confirmed a fracture.

The proximal tibia is the upper part of the shinbone below the knee, which bears body weight. The club did not specify a concrete timeline for his return, but a long-term absence is unavoidable. Given that several months of treatment and rehabilitation are required, his participation in the AFC Asian Cup next January has also become uncertain.

His club, Kashima, has lost a key defender. Kim Tae-hyun appeared in 30 league matches during the 2025 season, leading the team to the championship, and had been playing as a starter this season as well.

It is also bad news for the national team led by interim head coach Roberto Moreno. Kim Tae-hyun, a rare left-footed center-back, has emerged as a key player under the Moreno regime. He appeared in all four A-matches held in September and October last year, and started and played the full 90 minutes against Uzbekistan, leading the team to a scoreless victory.

In the end, Kim Tae-hyun was left off the squad list for the November A-match two-game series in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and Qatar), announced on the 29th. Coach Moreno selected Shin Min-ha (born in 2005, Gangwon FC) for the first time in place of Kim Tae-hyun, forming the central defense alongside Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Lee Han-beom (Brugge), and Kim Ji-soo (Brentford).

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original