Dutch media raised objections regarding the call-up of Hwang In-beom (29, Feyenoord) to the national team.
The football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Oman on the 20th at Goyang Stadium for the '2026 North and Central America World Cup Asian region third qualifying round match 7.' Subsequently, South Korea will play against Jordan in match 8 on the 25th at Suwon World Cup Stadium.
South Korea, which is in Group B, is currently leading the group with 4 wins, 2 draws, and 14 points. Iraq is in second place with 11 points, and Jordan is in third place with 9 points. If South Korea secures two victories in these two matches, it will confirm its advancement to the finals of the North and Central America World Cup early.
On the 10th, head coach Hong Myung-bo announced the roster of 28 players for the national team. The key defender Kim Min-jae was replaced by Kim Joo-sung (Seoul) due to a subsequent injury. There was controversy regarding the inclusion of Hwang In-beom, who had just returned from injury.
On the 18th, Dutch 'FR12' reported that "Dennis Kraanenvuurgh said it was 'absurd' that Hwang In-beom was called up to the South Korean national team. The explanation is that head coach Hong Myung-bo's selection of Hwang In-beom, while substituting for the injured Kim Min-jae, citing player protection, does not make sense.
The current midfielders for the national team include Park Yong-woo (Al Ain), Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City), Won Doo-jae (Korfakkan Club), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Bae Joon-ho (Stoke City), Yang Min-hyuk (Queens Park Rangers), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), and Lee Dong-kyung (Gimcheon Sangmu).
Kraanenvuurgh pointed out, "The national team call-up could negatively impact his physical condition. A player who has barely played in the last three months has just returned, and now he has to take a long-distance flight. This could put significant pressure on Hwang In-beom's recovery and condition management."
On the 19th, head coach Hong Myung-bo regarding Hwang In-beom said, "The club, the player, and the national team are communicating smoothly. There was a slight injury in the match last weekend. We need to monitor him until today's training," dispelling concerns from the surroundings.
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