For many who worship on the altar of “a win is a win” mantra, the boys’s nationwide soccer group had a extremely good yr, as they posted eight wins, three attracts and two losses.
Upon nearer inspection, although, it isn’t that tough to determine Korea as a deeply flawed group with points that have to be addressed forward of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Coached by Hong Myung-bo, Twenty second-ranked Korea defeated No. 76 Bolivia 2-0 final Friday after which No. 73 Ghana 1-0 on Tuesday of their last two matches of the yr. Whereas Hong careworn the significance of outcomes above all else — with Korea needing to win to keep up their FIFA rating spot and guarantee themselves a positive place within the World Cup draw subsequent month — the group’s incapacity to beat underdog opponents convincingly didn’t sit effectively with followers.
That was the recurring theme all year long, with Korea persistently underperforming and failing to dwell as much as expectations of the more and more stressed fan base.
Korea opened the yr with consecutive 1-1 attracts at residence towards two heavy underdogs, Oman and Jordan. These matches got here in the course of the third spherical of the Asian World Cup qualification, and Hong referred to as the Oman draw “the worst efficiency” by his facet throughout that section.
Korea righted the ship and gained the following two matches to punch their ticket to the World Cup in June. Then in July, because the host of the East Asian Soccer Federation E-1 Soccer Championship, Korea defeated China and Hong Kong in succession earlier than falling to Japan with the regional title on the road.
Korea traveled to America for 2 friendlies in September and beat the USA 2-0 earlier than taking part in Mexico to a 2-2 draw.
That win over the U.S. was Korea’s most full effort of the yr, with the stable protection shutting down the top-20 opponent, whereas captain Son Heung-min did his factor with a purpose and an help.
Then got here the embarrassing, 5-0 loss to Brazil in entrance of over 63,000 followers at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Oct. 10, a match so lopsided that Korea might simply have misplaced by a much bigger margin.
Followers then began staying away, with solely 22,000 of them readily available to look at the nationwide group beat Paraguay 2-0 on the identical Seoul stadium on Oct. 14. It was the smallest crowd for a males’s nationwide soccer group match in 10 years. The Ghana match on Tuesday, additionally performed in Seoul, drew about 33,000 followers. Even contemplating the chilly situations, it was an incredibly low quantity for what might have been Korea’s last match at residence earlier than the World Cup — with the Korea Soccer Affiliation making an attempt to schedule tuneup matches in March subsequent yr earlier than the large event rolls round in June.
Since taking up the group in the summertime of 2024 for his second stint with Korea, Hong has usually been criticized for missing tactical creativity and relying too closely on particular person expertise of some gamers to generate probabilities. The offense underneath Hong has typically lacked move and has been too predictable.
It is one factor to have the likes of Son and playmaking midfielder Lee Kang-in do the heavy lifting with their brilliance in pleasant matches or World Cup qualifiers towards lowly foes. On the World Cup, although, Korea will run into more durable opponents whose defenses will zero in on these stars with added depth and can power Korea to search out other ways to attain.
Within the two November matches, Korea sorely missed midfielder Hwang In-beom, who suffered a thigh harm earlier within the month whereas taking part in for his Dutch membership Feyenoord. Not one of the remaining midfielders got here near matching Hwang’s two-way excellence — his potential to make stops on protection and create scoring probabilities seemingly out of nothing along with his good passes — and the 2 matches felt particularly slowed down.
Hong acknowledged Tuesday that the subpar efficiency by his midfielders dragged the remainder of the group down towards Ghana, although he additionally predicted that Hwang’s eventual return for the World Cup will remedy most of the issues seen this month.
That the absence of 1 participant, nonetheless vital, can alter the group’s trajectory a lot is a priority in and of itself.
Lee Kang-in, who has regularly emerged because the vocal chief of the nationwide group, stated Tuesday he and his teammates will attempt to block out noise coming from exterior their locker room.
“Soccer followers all have totally different views, and even gamers have other ways of watching and understanding the sport. I can completely see why followers really feel the best way they do about our group,” the 24-year-old stated. “Nonetheless, moderately than paying a lot consideration to these voices, we’re all making an attempt to assist the group the very best we will. It would be nice if we will play the best way that may fulfill everybody. However as we prepare for the World Cup, I believe we should always focus extra on making performs that profit the group and on serving to one another.”
Hwang Hee-chan, a veteran of 75 caps, stated 2025 was a fruitful yr for the nationwide group as a result of they gained so many video games towards “some actually robust groups.”
“In soccer, outcomes are actually vital, and we had been capable of produce the outcomes we needed this yr,” Hwang stated. “I believe these two matches right here had been large. This camp introduced us even nearer as a group, and we have grown extra assured that we will actually get the job completed. I can not look forward to our subsequent match window (in March).”
