Hong Unveils Final World Cup Roster of 26... Son Heung-min Set for Fourth World Cup Appearance

Jens Castrop of Monchengladbach Also Selected
Main Squad Departs for Salt Lake City, USA, on May 18 for Pre-Camp

Son Heung-min (LAFC) will make his fourth appearance at the World Cup stage.

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national soccer team, announced the final roster of 26 players who will compete in the 2026 North American World Cup at KT Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on May 16.

As expected, key players including Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) have been selected for Hong's squad.

Son Heung-min, who was 22 during the 2014 Brazil World Cup, will be playing in his fourth consecutive World Cup. If Son takes the field in the 2026 North American World Cup, which kicks off on June 11, he will tie the record for most World Cup appearances by a Korean player—four tournaments—joining the ranks of coach Hong Myung-bo. Currently, Coach Hong, Hwang Sun-hong (head coach of Daejeon Hana Citizen), and Lee Woon-jae (goalkeeper coach for the Vietnam national team) hold the record for most World Cup appearances by a Korean, each with four tournaments.

Across his previous three World Cups, Son Heung-min has played in a total of 10 matches. If he plays in all three group stage games at the North American World Cup and Korea advances to the Round of 32, he will be tied for second place in all-time World Cup appearances among Korean players (14 matches), alongside Park Ji-sung, advisor to Jeonbuk Hyundai.

The record for most World Cup appearances by a Korean player is held by coach Hong Myung-bo, who played in 16 matches across the 1990 Italy, 1994 USA, 1998 France, and 2002 Korea-Japan World Cups. He is followed by Park Ji-sung (14 matches, advisor to Jeonbuk Hyundai) and Lee Young-pyo (12 matches, outside director of Ulsan HD), both of whom participated in three World Cups each.

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national football team, is answering questions from reporters at the press conference announcing the final roster for the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup held on the 16th at KT Gwanghwamun Building West Onmadang in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

If Korea reaches the quarterfinals and Son Heung-min participates in every match, his World Cup appearance tally will rise to 16, equaling coach Hong's record.

Son Heung-min will also be aiming to become the sole all-time top scorer among Korean players at the World Cup. He currently shares the record for most goals scored by a Korean player at the World Cup finals (three goals) with Ahn Jung-hwan and Park Ji-sung. Son scored one goal at the 2014 Brazil World Cup and two goals at the 2018 Russia World Cup.

Jens Castrop (Borussia Monchengladbach), a mixed-race player born in 2003 in Dusseldorf, Germany, to a German father and Korean mother, has also made the final roster. He will become the first foreign-born mixed-race player to represent the South Korean men’s national team at the World Cup. Previously, defender Jang Dae-il, who played at the 1998 France World Cup, was a mixed-race player for the Korean men’s national team, but he was born in Korea.

Castrop was first called up to the national team ahead of two friendlies in the United States in September last year. He was also called up for A matches in October and November last year and has played in five A matches so far.

Castrop is considered a versatile player with high work rate and strong physicality, able to play both as a fullback and central midfielder. In particular, his experience playing as a starting wingback in a three-back system for Monchengladbach in the German Bundesliga is seen as a good fit for coach Hong’s current tactical preferences. However, his tendency to collect yellow cards due to aggressive play is noted as an area for improvement.

Lee Gihyeok, a center back for Gangwon FC, who has only played in one A match (against Hong Kong in the 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship), was a surprise inclusion. Under coach Hong Myung-bo, he was called up once ahead of the Asian qualifiers for the North American World Cup last November but did not get a chance to play. He is expected to fill the vacancy left by Kim Juseong (Hiroshima), who suffered a knee injury in a friendly in March.

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korea national football team, is taking a commemorative photo with the coaching staff at the press conference announcing the final roster for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, held on the 16th at the KT Gwanghwamun Building West Onmadang in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Three promising young players—Kang Sangyun and Cho Wijae (both from Jeonbuk), and 19-year-old goalkeeper Yoon Giwook (Seoul)—will join the squad as training partners.

The main squad will depart for Salt Lake City, Utah, for a pre-camp via Incheon International Airport on May 18. Overseas-based players, including Son Heung-min, will join the team locally.

During the pre-camp, the national team will play two friendly matches: against Trinidad and Tobago at BYU South Field in Salt Lake City on May 31 at 10 a.m. (Korean time), and against El Salvador on June 4 at 10 a.m.

Afterwards, the team will move to their base camp in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 5. In Group A, Korea will face Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium on June 12 and Mexico on June 19, followed by their final group stage match against South Africa at Monterrey Stadium on June 25.

<Final Roster for the 2026 North American World Cup (26 Players)>

▲Goalkeepers: Jo Hyunwoo (Ulsan), Kim Seunggyu (Tokyo), Song Bumkeun (Jeonbuk)

▲Defenders: Kim Minjae (Munich), Cho Yumin (Al Sharjah), Lee Hanbeom (Midtjylland), Kim Taehyeon (Kashima Antlers), Park Jinseop (Zhejiang), Lee Gihyeok (Gangwon), Lee Taeseok (Austria Wien), Seol Youngwoo (Crvena Zvezda), Jens Castrop (Monchengladbach), Kim Moonhwan (Daejeon)

▲Midfielders: Yang Hyunjun (Celtic), Baek Seungho (Birmingham), Hwang Inbeom (Feyenoord), Kim Jingyu (Jeonbuk), Bae Junho (Stoke City), Eom Jiseong (Swansea City), Hwang Heechan (Wolverhampton), Lee Donggyeong (Ulsan), Lee Jaesung (Mainz), Lee Kangin (PSG)

▲Forwards: Oh Hyungyu (Besiktas), Son Heungmin (LAFC), Cho Gyuseong (Midtjylland)

▲Training partners: Kang Sangyun, Cho Wijae (both Jeonbuk), Yoon Giwook (Seoul)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.