2026 World Cup Team Chronicle · South Korea: Son Heung-min is still there, but South Korea cannot rely on Son Heung-min alone

South Korea is competitive in the knockout rounds.

But taking another step forward is difficult.

The most touching thing about this team has always been not "how sophisticated" it is, but "it's not over yet."

2002 goes without saying. Seoul, Gwangju, Daejeon, those nights made the entire country hoarse. South Korea runs tirelessly and fights like every kick can change their lives. You can argue about a lot of the calls in that game and you'll be arguing about them for years to come. But one thing cannot be denied: from then on, Korean football was no longer just a strong team in the Asian order, but a team with its own colors in the memory of the World Cup.

2018 Kazan, South Korea 2-0 Germany. In stoppage time, German goalkeeper Neuer had already rushed to the frontcourt. Son Heung-min chased him from the backcourt and finally pushed the ball into the empty goal. That shot is easy to understand: a person is running on an empty turf, with the collapse of the defending champion behind him. It is also a breath that Korean football has been holding back for many years.

In Qatar 2022, against Portugal, it’s stoppage time again. Son Heung-min drives the ball forward, with defenders around him and space in front of him. He didn't rush to shoot. He waited until the last second and slipped the ball through the gap to Huang Xican. Huang Xican scored. The best thing about that ball is not its speed, but its patience.

Wait until the opponent's defense only relaxes for a moment, and then send the ball in.

This is South Korea's strongest temperament: they can drag the game to the end and make a charge at the end.

In 2026, Son Heung-min is still here. Huang Xican is still there. Li Gangren can provide creativity with his left foot, and Jin Minjae is the hardest rock in the backcourt. It will never be easy for you to fight against Korea. Even if you have more possession of the ball, it's difficult to completely break them up.

But if South Korea wants to go far in 2026, it cannot rely solely on "spirit" and "speed."

The real problem is getting the ball out of midfield.

When strong teams play against South Korea, they usually do two things: press the ball route in front of Kim Min-jae, and force the Korean full-back to catch the ball in an uncomfortable position. If South Korea cannot make the first pass, the speed in the frontcourt will become an island. No matter how good Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan can run, someone has to accurately deliver the ball to their feet or in front of them.

Li Gangren is a key figure.

He can get the ball on the right or in the center, turn around, and make the final pass. But he also needs someone around him to handle the confrontation and rhythm for him. What South Korea fears most is that Lee Gang-in retreated too deep and Son Heung-min also retreated to catch the ball. In the end, there was no one in the penalty area. In this way, it seems that the ball is controlled, but the actual threat is weakened.

Kim Min-jae is the key to the other end.

Not only is he a strong defensive player, he is also the key to whether South Korea's backcourt can deliver the first ball. If he is forced to cross the ball all the time, South Korea will be trapped in the backcourt; if he can take a step and pass through, the midfield and frontcourt will immediately come alive. In modern football, the first kick of the central defender often determines whether the forward can run 20 meters less.

The best way for South Korea to win is to stand firm on defense first and then make the offense simple enough.

Don’t go for a nice push every time. First look for the first kick behind Son Heung-min, and then look for Hwang Hee-chan or Cho Kyu-sung to attack in the penalty area. If the midfield can grab two points, South Korea can turn the game into a back-and-forth sprint. That's where they're comfortable.

My judgment on South Korea is: there is a chance to qualify in the group, and there is also a chance to cause trouble in the knockout rounds; but to advance to the quarterfinals, a suitable game script must be encountered.

The problem will be magnified if they fall behind early and are forced into positional warfare and a prolonged siege.
If they hold on first and then push the game into a speed contest after 60 minutes, South Korea will make any opponent uncomfortable.

Son Heung-min is still there, which is South Korea's confidence.

But South Korea in 2026 cannot be just the story of Son Heung-min. Kim Min-jae must guard the backcourt, Lee Gang-in must connect the midfield and the frontcourt, and Hwang Hee-chan must turn sprinting into shooting. Only when these three stages are connected, South Korea will not only be "very good at fighting", but can actually win.

2026 South Korea list (organized by position)

Note: The following is the current team organized as of April 2026 based on official competitions and regular national team recruitment in the past two years. The final 26 people are subject to official registration.

• Goalkeepers: Cho Hyun-woo, Song Beom-geun, Kim Seung-gyu
• Defenders: Kim Min-jae, Kim Young-kwon, Jung Seung-hyun, Seol Young-woo, Kim Jin-soo, Kim Tae-hwan, Lee Ji-di, Cho Yoo-min
• Midfielder: Hwang In-beom, Lee Gang-in, Jung Woo-young, Baek Seung-ho, Lee Jae-sung, Hong Hyun-seok, Uhm Won-sang
• Forwards: Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Cho Kyu-sung, Oh Hyun-kyu, Jung Woo-yeong, Bae Jun-ho

If you also like to watch the World Cup from the perspective of characters and positions, you can play a game here: https://wordlecup.today/en/football/