Korean defender Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) ultimately failed to join the national team. Coach Hong Myung-bo (56) elaborated.
The Korea Football Association held a press conference on June 26 at 11 a.m. at the Korea Football Association Soccer Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul to announce the national team roster.
The national team, led by Coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Iraq in the 9th match of Group B of the 3rd qualifying round for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup at the Basra International Stadium in Iraq on June 6.
After facing Iraq, the team will take on Kuwait in the 10th match at Seoul World Cup Stadium on June 10. Korea is currently leading Group B with 16 points (4 wins, 4 draws). A draw against Iraq will ensure Korea advances to the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time.
Korea failed to qualify early for the finals after drawing three consecutive matches against Palestine (1-1), Oman (1-1), and Jordan (1-1). The failure to win both home matches in March was especially significant.
Ahead of the main press conference, a list of 26 players was revealed. The national team selected two strikers to take charge of the front line: Oh Hyun-kyu (Hank) and Oh Se-hoon (Machida Zelvia). In the midfield, they selected Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Jeon Jin-woo (Jeonbuk), Moon Seon-min (Seoul), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Kim Jin-kyu (Jeonbuk), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Won Doo-jae (Korpakan Club), Park Jin-seob (Jeonbuk), and Park Yong-woo (Al Ain), totaling 12 players.
In defense, nine players were selected: Jo Yu-min (Sharjah), Kwon Kyung-won (Korpakan Club), Lee Han-bum (Midtjylland), Kim Joo-sung (Seoul), Park Seung-wook (Gimcheon), Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), Lee Tae-seok (Pohang), Jo Hyun-taek (Gimcheon), and Choi Jun (Seoul). Three goalkeepers were chosen: Jo Hyun-woo (Ulsan), Kim Dong-hyun (Gimcheon), and Lee Chang-geun (Daejeon).
Coach Hong Myung-bo said, "Considering the hot weather, physical burdens, and preparation time, we selected players this time. Our coaching staff prioritized performance and good form by position when selecting players. As you know, there are players in Europe who have finished their leagues and are on break. It is true that there were some challenges in the player composition."
Before the announcement of the national team call-up list, it was suggested that Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae, key players in both offense and defense, would likely miss this selection due to injuries. Both players were unable to fully participate in the season due to injuries.
Son Heung-min returned to the field after injury and participated in three matches, both as a substitute and a starter. He was included in this call-up without issue.
The problem was with Kim Min-jae. His name was not included in the 26-player call-up list announced by the Korea Football Association on June 26, which included nine defenders.
Coach Hong Myung-bo explained, "Kim Min-jae was not selected this time. We have been consistently communicating and observing him since last year, and it was determined that he is not in a condition to play overall in this match."
Kim Min-jae has played 43 official matches for Bayern Munich this season, logging 2,289 minutes in the Bundesliga alone. This is the second-highest time among field players on the team. Particularly during the first half of the season, when his center-back colleagues were injured, he was essentially a 'full-time fixture.' His situation, requiring painkillers to play, was concerning enough to draw attention from FIFPro (the International Footballers' Association). Kim Min-jae's total official playing time this season is 3,593 minutes.
Ultimately, Kim Min-jae had to finish the season early. According to reports from various German media, Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany decided not to use Kim Min-jae in the remaining matches after Bayern secured an early Bundesliga title, and he subsequently missed all matches to focus on rest and recovery.
Coach Hong Myung-bo noted, "Kim Min-jae is a player who carries a great sense of responsibility and mission for the national team, but we excluded him this time with the thought that he will have ample opportunities to spend time in the future."
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