Yang Hyun-jun (23, Celtic), who is active in Celtic, has returned to the South Korea national football team after a year. He expressed his feelings about joining the national team and conveyed deep gratitude to head coach Hong Myung-bo (56).

Yang Hyun-jun participated in the national team training held at Goyang Sports Complex on the 18th. He returned to the country on the 17th through Incheon International Airport, arriving on the same flight as British players such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham), and Bae Jun-ho (Stoke). Having donned the Taeguk mark again after a year through this March A match, he said, "I am happy to return to the national team. Since it is my first time under head coach Hong Myung-bo, I feel both excitement and nervousness."

Last summer, Yang Hyun-jun transferred to Celtic in the Scottish Premier League (Scottish Premiership, SPL) but was classified as a backup resource early in the season and did not seize opportunities. However, he has recently been gradually establishing himself, recording 5 goals and 6 assists in the last 28 official matches and maintaining good form.

He explained, "The Scottish league has a very rough style, so I focused a lot on building my physical strength to not get overpowered in physical confrontations. In particular, I concentrated on core exercises, and thanks to consistent preparation, I was able to prevent injuries." He continued, "I have become much stronger mentally than a year ago. I had many shortcomings, but I grew by addressing them."

Head coach Hong Myung-bo personally observed Yang Hyun-jun's match during a European tour last January and conducted a meeting afterward. Yang Hyun-jun stated that this meeting became an important opportunity for his performance improvement.

He also recalled, "Just a few months ago, it felt like there was no way forward. However, the head coach came personally and gave me many encouraging words, and thinking that 'he is watching me' motivated me greatly. Since then, I have focused more on showing good performances."

The competition for the attacking midfielder line of the national team is fiercer than ever. Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) are performing as starters, while Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea), and Yang Min-hyeok (Queens Park Rangers) are also competing for positions.

In response, Yang Hyun-jun stated, "Aggressive dribbling is my strength. I will prepare well to perform my role in changing the atmosphere when the team is in a difficult situation," expressing his determination to prove his worth on the national team.

The South Korea national football team is preparing for the 7th match of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers against Oman on the 20th (Goyang Sports Complex) and the 8th match against Jordan on the 25th (Suwon World Cup Stadium). Currently, the team is leading Group B with 4 wins and 2 draws (14 points), and if they win the remaining two matches, they will secure early qualification for the World Cup finals.

There is growing anticipation for what role Yang Hyun-jun, who has shown a strong willingness to return to the national team, will play in this match.

[OSEN = Jung Seung-woo reporter]