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| Coach Hong Myung-bo / Photo: DB |
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young] The Guardian has delivered a sobering assessment of Hong Myung-bo’s South Korea squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The Guardian recently ran World Cup previews for all 48 qualified teams in partnership with leading outlets in each country.
In the Korea piece, MBC analyst Seo Hyung-wook said uncertainty over key players’ form and the team’s tactical setup makes Korea’s prospects of advancing out of the group unlikely.
The Guardian highlighted that Hong largely used a back four during qualifying and only shifted to a three-man defense after Korea had already clinched qualification. If Korea lines up in a 3-4-3 at the finals, the paper warned, the limited preparation time could seriously damage team cohesion and defensive organization.
It flagged a shortage of high-caliber wing-backs — a critical component of a successful 3-4-3. That scarcity, the piece said, has intensified interest in where Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach) might fit. Castrop can play centrally or wide and could become the team’s major X-factor.
The preview also pointed to mounting concerns over injuries, poor club form and players falling behind in the pecking order. Central midfield has been hit particularly hard by injuries. The situation is acute, the article said, noting that Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) has struggled to regain his best form this season because of recurring fitness problems.
Another wildcard, the paper argued, is a leadership vacuum. While Korea famously reached the last 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, team management has since been unsettled. The Guardian recalled that Jürgen Klinsmann — appointed by Korea Football Association chairman Chung Mong-gyu — was dismissed in under a year, and that Hong’s own appointment prompted controversy over selection decisions.
The piece added that Hong is widely regarded as one of the great figures in Korean football, but he has not secured the broad backing of the media and public while leading the national team. It noted he went winless as coach at the 2014 Brazil World Cup and concluded that, realistically, expectations for him to erase that memory this time are low.
South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, were drawn into Group A at the North American World Cup. Korea will face the Czech Republic on June 12 at 11:00 a.m. Korea Standard Time (KST), Mexico on June 19 at 10:00 a.m. KST, and South Africa on June 25 at 10:00 a.m. KST.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
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