South Korea’s preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia will pick up some speed next week when they unveil the players heading to football’s showpiece event.
Shin Tae-yong, head coach for the South Korean men’s national football team, will announce his World Cup roster at a press conference in Seoul on Monday. It’s hasn’t been confirmed whether Shin will disclose the final list of 23 players on that day or just release a preliminary roster.
According to FIFA, the deadline to submit a 35-player preliminary roster is Monday, while the submission of the final list of 23 players is due June 4.
Based on Shin’s recent call-ups and their performances, local pundits said that there are players who have already booked their spots on the squad. They are notably Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, considered the attacking ace of the Taeguk Warriors, and Ki Sung-yeung of Swansea City, who orchestrates the South Korean midfield.
Other Europe-based players who have been showing consistent performance with their respective clubs, such as Kwon Chang-hoon of Dijon FCO, Hwang Hee-chan of Red Bull Salzburg and Koo Ja-cheol of FC Augsburg, are considered to be obvious picks for Shin. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, defender Jang Hyun-soo and reigning K League 1 MVP Lee Jae-sung, who have been regularly selected by the 49-year-old coach in recent friendlies, are also expected to put their names on the list.