South Korea

Korea Republic have qualified for ten consecutive FIFA World Cups, a run that began in 1986 and makes them the most consistently present Asian nation in the tournament’s history outside of Japan.

The Taeguk Warriors have developed a distinctly European identity in recent decades, built on the exceptional generation of players who forged careers in the Premier League and Bundesliga. Son Heung-min, captain and all-time leading scorer with over 40 international goals, remains the team’s creative and offensive focal point. His movement off defenders and clinical finishing in transition are qualities Tottenham Hotspur and the national team have relied on through the same period. Midfielder Hwang In-beom provides drive from deep, while defenders Kim Min-jae and Kim Jin-su anchor a high defensive line that presses aggressively.

Korea Republic’s defining World Cup moment came on home soil in 2002, when they became the first and only Asian team to reach a World Cup semi-final. The tournament run included victories over Poland, the United States, Portugal, Spain, and Germany. Park Ji-sung’s goal in the 3-2 win over Portugal at the group stage sent a nation into the streets. The semi-final defeat to Germany, 1-0 in Seoul, and the third-place playoff loss to Turkey, remain the high watermark against which every subsequent generation is measured.

At Qatar 2022, Korea Republic reached the last sixteen in dramatic fashion, needing a late Hwang Hee-chan goal to beat Portugal and finish second in Group H. The round of sixteen against Brazil ended 4-1, but the qualification run itself demonstrated the squad’s tactical competence and tournament awareness.

Korean Standard Time is UTC+9. A 20:00 kickoff in Seoul is 12:00 in London, 07:00 in New York, and 21:00 in Tokyo. Check South Korea time for accurate local conversions before every match.