South Korea national soccer team coach Jürgen Klinsmann, 59, has returned home after a brief stay in the United States.
Klinsmann arrived in South Korea late afternoon on February 2 at Incheon International Airport.
Klinsmann, who took a break from the U.S. following the Qatar Asian Cup group stage draw on March 11, will now focus on preparations for two upcoming June A matches.
South Korea will play Peru on June 16 at Busan Asiad Stadium and El Salvador on June 20 at Daejeon World Cup Stadium. Kickoff time is 8 p.m. for both matches. The roster will be announced on June 5, with a call-up date of June 12.
The roster will essentially outline the first Klinsmann era.
In his first match in charge, in March, Klinsmann named a roster that was largely composed of players that his predecessor, Paulo Bento, took to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in South Korea (Round of 16).
This time, it’s different. In recent months, Klinsmann and his coaching staff have been traveling around the country and Europe to check out the Korean players. This means that the roster will be more reflective of Klinsmann’s intentions than it was at the March trials, and it will give a glimpse into the soccer philosophy of the man who will lead South Korea through the 2026 North and Central American World Cup.
But it won’t be ‘complete’. Kim Min-jae, the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games gold medalist, will arrive on June 15, one day before the first leg, to complete three weeks of basic military training as part of his military service benefits. 토토사이트
There have also been injuries to players with national team experience. This is especially true for the defense line.
‘Veteran defender’ Kim Young-kwon (Ulsan Hyundai) suffered a hamstring injury in a K League 1 match against Daejeon Hana Citizen on June 28. Cho Yoo-min (Daejeon Hana Citizen) is also out with a knee injury.
In addition, defensive midfielder Son Jun-ho (Shandong Taishan) is being investigated in China for bribery while in custody. The situation has been the same for more than two weeks, making it difficult for him to be named to the roster on Friday. Park Ji-soo (Portimonense) and Park Yong-woo (Ulsan) have emerged as options to fill the defensive void.