In his debut in A-match, Lee Han-beom (23, Midtjylland) expressed his feelings after showcasing a perfect defense.
The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, defeated Kuwait 4-0 in the final match of Group B in the 10th round of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup, held at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 10th.
With this victory, Korea finished the World Cup qualifiers undefeated. The national team wrapped up the second and third rounds of the North and Central America World Cup with 11 wins and 5 draws, not suffering a single defeat. This is an achievement not seen since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Korea also secured its spot in the finals early on. On the 6th, they won 2-0 in Iraq, making history with 11 consecutive qualifications for the World Cup finals. This is the first time in Asia and the sixth time globally for such a record. In Group B, both Korea and Jordan secured direct tickets to the World Cup.
In addition, Korea decorated the final match held on home ground with a significant victory. In the third qualifying round for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, they unfortunately lost in the last game against the United Arab Emirates, but this time they achieved a different outcome. A goal by Jeon Jin-woo opened the scoring in the 30th minute of the first half, followed by consecutive goals from Lee Kang-in, Oh Hyun-kyu, and Lee Jae-sung in the second half.
What caught attention in this match was the new central defense combination. Instead of the regular starters Jo Yoo-min and Kwon Kyung-won, Kim Joo-sung and Lee Han-beom emerged as the center-back duo.
In particular, Lee Han-beom displayed stability as a modern center-back with strong physicality, aerial ability, proficiency with both feet, and solid build-up.
Lee Han-beom, who had secured a regular spot since his days at FC Seoul with his excellent build-up ability, recorded a 99% (77/78) pass success rate on this day, playing a central role in the back build-up. He showcased near-perfect defensive capabilities, not allowing a single effective shot from Kuwait’s attacking line alongside Kim Joo-sung.
With this scoreless victory, Lee Han-beom left a strong impression on the national team defense, emerging as a new variable in the upcoming center-back competition. He has proven to be a highly valuable asset even after the return of Kim Min-jae, who was sidelined due to injury.
After the match, Lee Han-beom said, "I thought every game would be tough, but in that sense, Kuwait played lower than expected, allowing me to play more comfortably."
Having made his A-match debut through this game, Lee Han-beom noted, "The coach told me to play aggressively and comfortably during training. He said to send the ball forward with a relaxed mind and to push forward together. That’s when I found my confidence."
He added, "I think the older players tried to make sure I wasn’t nervous. I had meals with Jae-sung and Heung-min."
Lee Han-beom is gradually increasing his playing time with his club, Midtjylland. He said, "I believe my position has improved significantly compared to last year and the year before. I think the players who were originally there will stay. I will have to talk with the club."
What did he discuss with his partner Kim Joo-sung? He shared, "Rather than talking a lot, we just focused on playing together... there’re also Tae-seok and we just said to help each other and avoid making big mistakes."
Lee Han-beom expressed, "I feel it’s an honor to showcase my reading ability, heading skills, and strengths. It’s an honor for my family, to the extent that it can be described as such. Heung-min congratulated me after the match, saying, 'Isn’t this the reward for your hard work?' It seems that I’ve received this good reward by quietly doing my job."
He added, "I need to play more in the team. To be given opportunities, I need to participate more in matches. I intend to prepare well from training time."
[OSEN]