"I want to prepare well this last year and advance to the World Cup."
The soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Kuwait on the 10th at the Seoul World Cup Stadium for the final match of the 10th round in Group B of the Asian third qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North and Central American World Cup.
Korea secured its spot at the World Cup for the 11th consecutive time, making it the 6th country in the world and the first in Asia to achieve this milestone by winning 2-0 against Iraq in the away match on the 6th. In Group B, Korea leads with 19 points, followed by Jordan with 16 points, both of which will advance directly to the World Cup.
Korea is currently on a 15-match unbeaten run (10 wins, 5 draws) in the North and Central American World Cup second and third qualifying rounds, aiming for an unbeaten record in qualifiers for the first time since the 2010 South Africa World Cup after 16 years.
Korea recorded a 'World Cup qualifying unbeaten' only in the 1990 Italy World Cup (9 wins, 2 draws) and the 2010 South Africa World Cup (7 wins, 7 draws) within the current system where 5 to 6 countries compete in the final qualifiers.
Korea is ranked 23rd in FIFA rankings, 111 spots higher than Kuwait, which is ranked 134th. In their head-to-head record, Korea leads with 13 wins, 4 draws, and 8 losses, including a recent stretch of 5 consecutive wins.
In a press conference held on the 9th, vice-captain Lee Jae-sung said, "I want to thank the fans who supported us from Korea for the last match against Iraq, even though they weren't in the stadium. The atmosphere is really good as we have achieved the goal of advancing to the World Cup. The young players have experienced the final qualifiers and proved that they can fulfill their roles in the national team. They can definitely be a great strength for the national team in the future. Especially, the captain (Son) Heung-min mentioned that he finished the last qualifiers with a loss. Tomorrow must be different. We haven’t had many home victories, but I really want to repay that with a win."
Born in 1992 and the same age as captain Son Heung-min, Lee Jae-sung explained, "If I advance to the North and Central American World Cup, it will be my third World Cup. I am happy just to be challenged. It’s really great to join the national team every time we gather. What I can say confidently is that consistency is key. The coach has been supportive, allowing me to participate until now. Playing with the best players is my greatest motivation. Returning to the World Cup, which was a dream when I first started playing soccer, is still a dream. I cannot guarantee that I will be there a year from now. I want to prepare well in the remaining year and surely participate in the World Cup."
Lee Jae-sung said, "There is no guarantee that the players currently on the national team will make it to the World Cup. Each of us must do our best in our respective positions with the dream of the World Cup. Individual abilities are needed to participate in the World Cup. We should not be satisfied with the current state but strive for more. The coach always emphasizes that if we show dedication and effort, we can make it to the World Cup."
[Photo] Provided by KFA.
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