South Korea Names 26-Man World Cup Squad — Son Heung-min Leads; Jens Castrop Becomes First German-Korean in National Team

Coach Hong Myung-bo officially unveiled South Korea's 26-man World Cup roster in Seoul on May 16. Son Heung-min captains the squad and leads the attack. Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach), born to a German father and Korean mother, becomes the first dual-heritage German-Korean player ever named to the South Korean national team — a historic milestone. Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) and Lee Kang-in (PSG) are both included. Hwang In-beom was selected despite nursing an ankle injury since March. The squad also includes Kwon Chang-hoon, Oh Hyeon-gyu, and Lim Sang-hyeop among the attackers. Hong Myung-bo said the team's objective is to reach the round of 16 as a minimum. 26 days remain to the June 11 opening match at Estadio Azteca.