The Republic of Korea
The Road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Qualification proved far from easy for South Korea. The team began well enough, winning all their games in the initial group qualifying stage without conceding a single goal.
The second Asian qualifying stage proved a big step up, and the South Koreans suffered defeats against Iran, China and Qatar, in a campaign in which they registered four wins and three draws in their 10 group games. However, that was just enough to secure second place behind Iran and automatic qualification for Russia 2018.
Stars
Russian football fans will remember South Korea’s Kim Ju-young, who scored two own goals during a friendly match in Moscow last October. They are also likely to know Son Heung-min, who scored in games against Russian teams Zenit and CSKA Moscow when playing for both Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen and England’s Tottenham Hotspur. He has scored 20 goals for his country to date, and there is every reason to expect more this summer.
The team’s captain, Ki Sung-yueng, also plays his club football in the Premier League for Swansea City, and is a firm fans’ favorite. He has played for the Welsh club since 2012, apart from one season he spent on loan at Sunderland.
Ki is considered one of the best Asian players to have played in the Premier League, where he has scored 13 goals to date. He was indispensable during the qualification campaign for the 2018 World Cup, starring in all of South Korea’s games.
Lee Keun-ho will also be known to Russian fans, as the highly rated forward scored an impressive goal against Russia at Brazil 2014.
Coach
The underwhelming qualifying campaign claimed the scalp of South Korea’s German coach Ulrich Stielike, who had taken over after the 2014 World Cup. Stielike’s tenure proved short-lived and he quit after the defeat to Qatar in June 2017, which left their qualifying prospects in the balance.
The country’s football association decided to go for a home-grown coach, and appointed Shin Tae-Yong to preside over the final two qualifiers against Iran and Uzbekistan, in which the team secured two 0-0 draws – enough to ensure second place in the group.
Coaching the national team is undoubtedly the pinnacle of Shin Tae-Yong’s career, having previously worked with domestic Korean clubs after beginning his coaching career in Australia with Queensland Roar.
Past Achievements
South Korea have qualified for every World Cup tournament since 1986, and Russia 2018 will be their 10th Finals in all. The nation is perhaps proudest of its performance as co-hosts at the 2002 edition. The team’s then-coach Dutchman Guus Hiddink led them to fourth place at the tournament, becoming a national hero in the process. However, the performance was somewhat overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions in the victories against Italy and Spain.
The South Koreans again qualified from their group in 2010 before losing in the first knock-out stage to Uruguay. They failed to get out of their group the last time out in Brazil.