Coach Hong Myung-bo, who finished the World Cup qualifiers with a big win, reflected on the past year.

The South Korean national football team, led by Coach Hong Myung-bo, defeated Kuwait 4-0 in the final match of the 10th round of Group B of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asian third qualifiers, held at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 10th.

As a result, Korea finished the World Cup qualifiers undefeated. The national team ended the final match with a victory, concluding the North and Central America World Cup second and third qualifiers with 11 wins and 5 draws, without a single loss. It’s an achievement not seen in 16 years since the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

Korea also secured its place in the finals early. On the 6th, the team won 2-0 in an away match against Iraq, making history with 11 consecutive World Cup finals appearances. This is a record not only for Asia but also the sixth in the world. In Group B, both Korea and Jordan secured direct tickets to the World Cup.

In addition to this, Korea celebrated a significant victory in the final home match. In the third qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the team unfortunately lost to the United Arab Emirates in the last match, but this time they created a different outcome. In the 30th minute of the first half, Jeon Jin-woo opened the scoring, and in the second half, Lee Kang-in, Oh Hyun-kyu, and Lee Jae-sung each scored in quick succession.

After the match, Coach Hong Myung-bo said, "I appreciate the fans who came to the stadium. Before today’s match, I told the players that this is not just the final qualifying match but the first game toward advancing to the World Cup. I’m very happy to win the first match. I also want to congratulate and thank our players."

Going forward, Korea's destiny in the second or third pots for the World Cup could depend on the results of upcoming evaluation matches. Coach Hong Myung-bo noted, "The results of the upcoming evaluation matches are very important. Also, no one can predict our players' situations a year from now. However, I believe today’s match was a game that provided significant strength to the team. Today was the best opportunity for young players to gain real-world experience, and they showed an unexpected performance."

He added, "The best of our team has yet to be determined. Of course, the veteran players who have led the team so far are the backbone, and it is correct that they continue to lead the team. However, it is essential to have strong young players who can support them. In that respect, the performances of young players today were very encouraging and positive."

At the end of the match, he deployed Hwang Hee-chan as an attacking wingback, using a three-back strategy. Coach Hong Myung-bo explained, "Although it was a short time, we prepared. It may change depending on the player composition, but this aspect is also one of the plans we are preparing for the future."

Coach Hong Myung-bo, who will soon complete one year in office, said, "There is a big difference between when I started a year ago and now. From last September to June, I learned a lot about the players' characteristics. I have come to understand the relationships with the players well enough. It was a time to outline how Korean football should move forward and what should be done at the World Cup."

He also emphasized, "The most important thing is which players maintain good performance by June next year. I missed that point ten years ago. I tested all the players, but ultimately the only resources I could choose were those players. Now, I need to observe a much wider pool of players, including K League players and those playing overseas, to see who can maintain their form by June next year."

What were the happiest and hardest moments? Coach Hong Myung-bo replied, "The happiest moment was the victory and securing advancement to the World Cup in the recent match against Iraq. It was because I achieved my greatest goal. It is difficult to pinpoint the hardest moment to just one. There were many hard moments at every moment. Externally, the situation was not normal either. Nevertheless, we came this far with a unified goal alongside the players."

Baek Jun-ho, who was newly selected, provided 2 assists, effectively filling the gap left by Son Heung-min. Coach Hong Myung-bo noted, "Baek Jun-ho was recognized for his skills in the K League and made his move to Europe. Besides him, players like Eom Ji-sung and Yang Min-hyeok are also playing in Europe. He is showing significant upward momentum. However, we considered various factors such as conditions this time, and I observed him closely."

He then stated, "Before departing for Iraq, I communicated with Lee Min-seong, the Olympic team coach, to discuss Baek Jun-ho's playing time. I conveyed the message that we could summon him for this match if needed. I also received updates on Baek Jun-ho's condition. Since Moon Seon-min was unable to play due to accumulation of yellow cards, I selected Baek Jun-ho without any hesitation. As a result, he showed an impressive performance today. He had played 45 minutes in the previous evaluation match and was well-prepared in terms of condition. Overall, he had a great game."

[OSEN]