Seongnam: South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo predicted intense battles for playing time among those hoping to make the FIFA World Cup team next year, as he opened the national team training camp for an upcoming regional tournament on Thursday. South Korea will host the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship starting Monday, with matches against China, Hong Kong, and Japan scheduled at Yongin Mireu Stadium.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the EAFF tournament, which began in 2003, is not part of FIFA's international match calendar, meaning clubs aren't obligated to release players. Hong's 26-man squad excludes the usual national team mainstays based in Europe. Instead, he has chosen 23 players from the domestic K League 1 and three from Japan's J1 League. Notable absentees include Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur and Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain.
For the World Cup next year, about half of South Korea's squad will likely consist of veterans based in Europe or the Middle East. Among the J1 League players, FC Machida Zelvia forward Oh Se-hun has been getting opportunities under Hong and should be in contention. This leaves limited spots for K League stars, making the EAFF tournament a crucial opportunity for them to impress the coach.
After the E-1 championship, South Korea will have their regular players back for international friendlies from September onwards, in preparation for the World Cup. Of the current 26 players, nine have received their first senior national team call-ups, including Pohang Steelers forward Lee Ho-jae, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors defender Kim Tae-hyun, and Ulsan HD FC defender Seo Myung-gwan.
Some K League players may have an advantage due to significant playing time in recent World Cup qualifying matches. This group includes Jeonbuk forward Jeon Jin-woo, who leads the K League 1 this season with 12 goals. Another Machida Zelvia player, midfielder Na Sang-ho, returns to the national team for the first time since June 2023.
Before Thursday's training session, Hong expressed a desire to use this opportunity to work with new players and evaluate their responses to his coaching. He emphasized the competitive nature of this selection process.
With the World Cup less than a year away, Hong is confident motivation will not be an issue for the team. "I am sure everyone will be locked in and bring a great attitude to this tournament," he said.