South Korea
Appearances at World Cups
South Korea has progressed from the group only twice during their participation in the final part of world cups. The debut was the most unexpected one because the football players of South Korea sensationally reached a semi-final at the WC at home, which was held together with Japan. Korea didn't have the power in this match and in the third place match, they finished fourth in the end. The first performance of Korea in WC final round also was remembered in history of world football. In 1954, this country's squad had two games, which missed 16 matches. This record is still unbeaten, though it will be 64 years this year.
Even if South Korea has been participating in every world tournament since 1986, the Koreans' road to Russia was uneasy. German specialist Uli Stielike was dismissed in the middle 2017 due to complications in performance in the tournament. Local coach Shin Tae-yong chaired the squad, but the team couldn't win a victory in two games having two draws against Iran and Uzbekistan. However, the scored points weren't enough for the Koreans to get a direct ticket to the World Cup.
year | G | W | D | L | М | total |
1954 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0-16 | 4 th in group |
1986 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4-7 | 4 th in group |
1990 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1-6 | 4 th in group |
1994 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4-5 | 3 rd in group |
1998 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2-9 | 4 th in group |
2002 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8-6 | 4 |
2006 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3-4 | 3 rd in group |
2010 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6-8 | 1/8 |
2014 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3-6 | 4 th in group |
Total | 31 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 31-67 | - |
Head coach and best player
After experiments with foreign coaches such as well-known in Russia Byshovets, Hiddink and Advocaat, the Korean Football Federation more often trusts local specialists. Shin Tae-yong is the third Korean to become the manager of the national team of South Korea after the 'foreign invasion'. The former midfielder of the national team is considered to be a pupil of the magician named Guus. The biggest football sensation for this country is linked with this figure. However, despite reaching the final part of the WC, his merit isn't so big.
Son Heung-min – forward from English Tottenham – is the best player in the country. The forward who got a main education in Germany where he constantly was at Hamburg's training is an undoubted leader of South Korea. Nobody is going to question this, though Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-yueng could doubt the important for team actions, in general. But nobody will do it because actions in the attack have always been evaluated higher than feats in the defence.
- Preliminary squad: Kim Seung-gyu – Kim Jin-su, Jang Hyun-soo, Hong Jeong-ho, Lee Yong – Ki Sung-yueng, Jung Woo-young, Koo Ja-cheol, Nam Tae-hee – Son Heung-min, Ji Dong-won.
Base camp and cities
It's interesting that the city of Lomonosov near Saint Petersburg will become a base camp during the WC in Russia for Korea. The location, to put it mildly, isn't very logical considering the cities they will be having matches in. Firstly, there is Kazan where South Korea will play against Germany in the third group stage match. Secondly and thirdly, it's Nizhny Novgorod and Rostov-on-Don, which aren't close to Petersburg. So the tiredness because of the flights can affect Shin Tae-yong's players during the matches against Sweden and Mexico.