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Hong has last chance of year to test Taeguk Warriors players, tactics with November friendlies

Published: 31 Oct. 2025, 14:48 Updated: 31 Oct. 2025, 15:21

Korean men's national football team manager Hong Myung-bo stands on the touchline before a friendly match between Korea and Paraguay at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Oct. 14. [KIM JUNG-HUN]

The Korean national football team will play its final two friendlies of the year in November, facing Bolivia in Daejeon on Nov. 14 and Ghana in Seoul on Nov. 18. The next international window will not come until March 2026.

For manager Hong Myung-bo, who is preparing the team for the 2026 World Cup, the upcoming friendlies represent the final opportunity to test players and experiment with tactics. Starting next year, the focus will shift to rehearsing the team’s final tactical approach with a confirmed squad.

But Hong’s squad is facing uncertainty ahead of the critical two-match series, with injury and form concerns surrounding key players like 22-year-old Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and 29-year-old Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich — both cornerstones of the team’s midfield and defense.

Lee did not travel with PSG for their Ligue 1 Round 10 match against Lorient on Wednesday, which ended in a 1-1 draw. According to French newspaper Le Figaro, he was sidelined due to mild viral symptoms.

But health is not the only issue. Lee has struggled for playing time this season. Of PSG’s 12 league and cup matches so far, he has played a full 90 minutes in just two, averaging 47.9 minutes per game — effectively playing only half of each match.

Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae is seen before a match between Munich and Club Brugge at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Oct. 22. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

In the national team setup, Lee plays both as a central midfielder and an attacking midfielder, creating chances for forwards such as Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC. Hong had planned to use the November friendlies to evaluate Lee’s chemistry with other players, but if Lee is not at peak form, it may not be possible.

Bayern's Kim also did not feature in the team’s DFB-Pokal second-round match against FC Köln on Wednesday, although he was on the bench in their 4-1 win. Kim has increasingly played a backup role this season, trailing Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah — both with 13 appearances — in the pecking order.

Kim has appeared in nine of Bayern’s 14 matches so far, averaging just 47.3 minutes per game. Given that Kim is a key piece in Hong’s plans for a three-center-back formation, maintaining his match sharpness is crucial.

Lee Kang-in kicks the ball during the first half of the match against Mexico at GEODIS Park in Nashville on Sept. 9. [GETTY IMAGES/YONHAP]

Some experts have taken a more optimistic view. “Since both Lee and Kim are still playing in their club matches, match fitness shouldn’t be an issue,” said commentator Park Chan-ha. “For players in major leagues, full-match stamina can be built up through training.”

“Last year, Kim played so frequently that there were concerns about overuse, which affected his condition with the national team,” said Hyun Young-min, head of the Korea Football Association’s performance enhancement committee. “Playing around 45 minutes per match, as he is now, might actually reduce fatigue and injury risk when joining the national squad.”

“If a new striker is added to the team, Son could drop back into the second line,” said Hyun. “That would ease the burden on Lee and possibly change his role.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PIH JU-YOUNG [[email protected]]