"Is the current South Korea national team the best ever?".
It is an assessment that is closer to conviction than light-hearted cheering. Ahead of the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, outside perspectives on Korean soccer are clearly changing.
Alberto, an Italian broadcaster, analyzed the competitiveness of the national team led by coach Hong Myung-bo on the YouTube channel 비정상축구 on the 15th. Fabian, who appeared with him, touched on a variety of topics from the new World Cup format to group draws and squad composition.
Fabian cited the expanded format as the key variable in this tournament. He said, "This is the first World Cup with 48 teams. Not only the first and second in each group but also the top eight third-place teams advance to the round of 32," and added, "The group Korea is in is also not easy to predict. The structure allows every team to beat one another."
Alberto also focused on environmental variables. He said, "With more matches, fitness management will be crucial. Mexico's summer is especially hot, and if the high-altitude environment is added, it can place a heavy burden on the players," and emphasized, "There is a high possibility of many upsets. Not only skill but also condition maintenance will determine wins and losses."
Nevertheless, the assessment of the South Korea national team is very positive. Alberto analyzed, "Among the South Korea national teams I have observed, I think now is the most complete period. Every position is stable," and said, "Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan are already proven key assets, and with players who have developed at home and abroad added, the overall team balance has greatly improved."
He drew a line regarding fans' concerns. He added, "The World Cup is the most important stage in a player's life. Everyone will give their all. There is no need to worry excessively."
A realistic goal was also presented. Fabian said, "Advancing to the round of 32 is the baseline. Going beyond that is meaningful," and added, "If we reach the round of 16, it can be considered a sufficiently successful result." To this, Alberto prompted a laugh by saying, "If the result falls short of expectations, you can just think of Italy."
It is a situation where several factors are intertwined: the expanded tournament structure, extreme environmental variables, and heightened expectations. Nevertheless, it is clear that assessments of the South Korea national team are changing positively. What remains now is to prove it with results.
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