Klinsmann, who is trying to win the Asian Cup for the first time in 64 years, has begun its journey.
The A-team, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, was convened at a hotel in downtown Seoul on Wednesday afternoon. K-League players who finished their first half of the season were joined by some overseas players. The first round of domestic training sessions will run from Friday to Sunday.
This time, the call-up focuses on physical fitness indoors without outdoor training. On the first day of the training, players warmed up without balls at the hotel's fitness center and exercised according to their physical conditions. Coach Klinsmann reportedly left it up to himself and watched the team's progress from beyond the glass wall. "The players sweated in a very friendly atmosphere without burden at a place with relatively few eyes," a source from the national team said.
A roadmap for the team's victory in the Asian Cup has also been announced. The team will announce the final list of the 26 players who will participate in the Asian Cup at CGV Yongsan on Wednesday. The team will then leave for the United Arab Emirates, the site of its training camp, on March 2, and begin off-season training in Abu Dhabi to adjust to the local environment. Key players from European leagues, including Son Heung-min Tottenham Hotspur, Hwang Hee-chan Wolverhampton, Kim Min-jae Bayern Munich, and Lee Kang-in Paris Saint-Germain, will join the team in Abu Dhabi and become "complete."
The final showdown has also been revealed. The team will hold its final mock test against Iraq in Abu Dhabi on January 6. The team will head to Qatar on January 10, where the Asian Cup will take place.
The Iraq match is aimed at preparing for the Middle East, which has always been strained. This time, the team also belongs to the same group with Jordan and Bahrain. To win the title, the team must beat Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iraq ranks 63rd in the FIFA rankings, lower than Korea 23rd, but has been a drag on Korea for a long time. The team deserves a chance to take the final mock test.
Klinsmann's goal for this year's event is to win both the first and second Asian Cup championships. Korea's last Asian Cup championship was in 1960 when it was held in Korea. At that time, Korea had a semifinal match with four teams Israel, South Vietnam, and Taiwan that advanced to the finals. Korea won the championship by ranking first in all three games overall. Since then, Korea has established itself as an Asian leader and has made it to the World Cup for 10 consecutive times. However, Korea had no chance to win the Asian Cup championships as much as the Asian Cup. The team's recent best performance was the runner-up at the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia. At the 2019 Asian Cup in the UAE, Korea ended its journey in the quarterfinals after being held back by Qatar.
Having completed the first and second rounds of the second qualifying round for the North Korea-China-U.S. World Cup in November 2026, the team is now looking to the 2024 Asian Cup that will take place in Qatar in January. The Asian Cup is the first test for the team. The team aims to advance to the quarterfinals at the North Korea-U.S. World Cup, and will explore the possibility through the Asian Cup. It is an important test for the coach, too. The Korea Football Association reportedly negotiated with the coach and conveyed that the Asian Cup stage could be an interim test, and the coach agreed with the coach.
Since taking office, Clinton has stirred controversy. He promised to reside in Korea, but was under fire due to his frequent overseas trips. As he was not in Korea, of course, it was difficult to closely watch the K-League. During the period, he appeared on TV programs in the U.S., analyzed Tottenham and Lionel Messi Inter Miami, who had nothing to do with the Korean national team, and attended a draw ceremony for the European Champions League. The announcement of the national team's roster disappeared, too. Two consecutive European matches in September were the climax. During the call-up period, foreign media reported that he threatened to participate in a charity match between his former club Bayern Munich and Chelsea, and asked Welsh captain Aaron Ramsey to exchange his uniform for his son.
Having achieved his first win in six matches, the longest ever among foreign coaches, Klinsmann also decided to go back to the U.S. five days after entering Korea with the slogan "I came because I was told." He even got booed by fans at the introduction of his team in the match against Tunisia. Having chosen "My Way," Klinsmann said that he would not change his style, urging fans to "evaluate themselves based on the results." The result was the Asian Cup. Since his inauguration, Klinsmann has vowed that his goal is to win the Asian Cup and that he is confident.
Fortunately, the mood is good. Korean soccer has entered an unprecedented golden age. Superstars who are also recognized in Europe, including Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Lee Kang-in, and Hwang Hee-chan Wolverhampton, are making fantastic plays every weekend at big clubs. Son scored 10 goals in the first half alone, setting a milestone of double-digit goals for the eighth consecutive season in the English Premier League. He was on par with legendary Thierry Henry and Sadio Mane. Now, there are only four players ahead of Son, starting with Wayne Rooney, who has scored double-digit goals for 11 consecutive seasons, Frank Lampard 10 seasons, Sergio Aguero, and Harry Kane nine seasons above. Hwang already scored eight goals, and has rewritten his career high season. After successfully renewing his contract with Wolverhampton, he has become one of the best players in his team.
Lee Kang-in is also recognized by Paris Saint-Germain and has established himself as a key striker. In particular, Lee Kang-in has emerged as a new ace for the Korean national team. Kim Min-jae, who wore a Bayern Munich uniform ahead of this season, is considered the world's best defender beyond Korea. He is also among the best in ransom and has established himself as an indispensable player even in prestigious Bayern. He scored his Bayern debut goal at the match against Stuttgart last time, and has recently been evaluated as a rising monster by the German media. Hwang In-beom Zvezda, Lee Jae-seong Mainz, Cho Kyu-sung Mitwhelan, and Hong Hyun-seok Hent are also playing the same role as Altoran.
As it is the last Asian Cup to be played in Son's heyday, this is considered the right time for him to challenge for the championship. Having been wandering in the beginning, the team changed the mood with "free soccer" that maximizes the freedom of the European team. It has won five consecutive games. During this period, he has shown an explosive scoring ability that has never been seen before, showing promise. Japan, Iran, and Australia are formidable, but as they are second to none in terms of squad, expectations are higher than ever.
Coach Klinsmann announced his first call-up list in Korea on Wednesday. Players who played in the second Asian qualifying match against Singapore and China for the North-China World Cup held in November were called as they were. The only change was the joining of center back Kim Joo-sung FC Seoul, who failed to participate in November. "K-League scoring champion" Joo Min-kyu Ulsan Hyundai, who was expected to replace Hwang Ui-jo Norwich City, who was disqualified from the national team due to illegal filming and whose participation in the Asian Cup is uncertain, was not selected again this time.
Jürgen Klinsmann emphasized continuity and continuity from the A-match in October. "The Qatar Asian Cup will be composed mostly of the existing members. I drew the picture to a certain extent. The closer we get to a major championship, the more important it is to continue. I hope that the eight to 10 players who are the backbone of the team advance to the Asian Cup without any injuries. This framework will not change," Klinsmann said. When comparing the list in October and November, there has been no significant change except for the return of goalie Song Bum-keun and the selection of Park Jin-seop Jeonbuk Hyundai, who can exchange midfielders and center backs.
Coach Klinsmann has shown great trust in the existing members who have won consecutive games since October, and expressed his willingness to recruit them through the Asian Cup as expected. The first batch of players shows this well. He chose 11 players among the K-League players, including Cho Hyun-woo, Kim Young-kwon, Jeong Seung-hyeon, Kim Tae-hwan, Seol Young-woo Ulsan, Moon Seon-min, Kim Jin-su Jeonbuk Hyundai, Lee Ki-je Suwon Samsung, and Lee Soon-min Gwangju FC. Song Bum-keun of the J-League, who finished the season, is on board, and players from European leagues during break time are also joining the team. Germany's Lee Jae-seong and Jung Woo-young Stutgart, Serbia's Hwang In-beom, and Denmark's Cho Kyu-sung will be called in. A total of 16 players will be called in. 파워볼사이트 추천
The final entry will be announced later, and Kim Min-jae, Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Kang-in, Oh Hyun-kyu, Hong Hyun-suk, Kim Seung-gyu, and Park Yong-woo are expected to be selected. As the entry for the Qatar Asian Cup has increased from 23 to 26, additional call-ups are inevitable. Coach Klinsmann did not choose the new pace from the list. As for the K-League, he is now on a break after finishing a long season. If he is not included in the call-up list, it is virtually impossible to select a player considering his physical condition. If Coach Klinsmann fills all the entries, chances are high that he will fill the rest of the seats with young resources playing in Europe. According to reports, some players have reportedly already submitted related documents to the national team.
South Korea was in Group E along with Malaysia, Jordan and Bahrain at the Asian Cup. The quarterfinals, which are likely to face Iran in the match table, are expected to be the first watershed, and they are likely to face Japan in the final.
