The news of 'Iron Pillar' Kim Min-jae's (29, Bayern Munich) injury has caused South Korea national soccer team coach Hong Myung-bo (56) to express discomfort. Consequently, Japan is showing interest.
On the 17th, Coach Hong met with reporters before a training camp to prepare for the home doubleheader of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asian third qualification rounds, held at the Goyang Sports Complex auxiliary stadium.
In this meeting, Coach Hong noted, "Kim Min-jae is a very important player both at Munich and for the national team," and added, "It’s a bit regrettable that Munich did not protect players for injury prevention, ultimately resulting in us playing key matches without a core player."
He continued, "The injury warning signs for Kim Min-jae have been ongoing since last year," explaining, "We were fully aware, but it did not make sense to put him in a critical match in the current situation for player protection, so we made the bold decision to give him rest," pointing out that Munich did not adequately protect Kim Min-jae.
Coach Hong's remark targeted Bayern Munich's Vincent Kompany. Kim Min-jae had been pushing through pain in his Achilles tendon since the end of last year. This is something Munich is well aware of. As a result, Kim Min-jae will need to be out for several weeks due to the Achilles injury.
It is understandable that there is a significant disappointment for the national team at this time. Because they are set to face Oman (Goyang Sports Complex) on the 20th and Jordan (Suwon World Cup Stadium) on the 25th, Coach Hong, leading the national team, will have to play without a starting defender.
If South Korea wins against Oman and Jordan, they can secure a spot in the World Cup finals regardless of the outcomes of the remaining two matches. This would mark their 11th consecutive World Cup finals appearance. However, it is concerning that they must compete without their top squad.
In response, Germany's Kicker emphasized that "the South Korean national team coach criticized Munich regarding Kim Min-jae's injury," stating that "Coach Hong pointed out that Munich did not provide adequate protection against player injuries."
Additionally, Germany's Sport1 reported, "The Korean coach attacked Munich," noting that "Kim Min-jae suffered an Achilles injury that forced him to take a mandatory rest."
Consequently, Japan's The World magazine reported, "Coach Hong's comments are being covered by several German media, including Bild," expressing that "the debate over that opinion may continue for some time."
[OSEN]