Line-up confirmed for South Korea vs Czech Republic at 2026 FIFA World Cup By Jeronimo Santos
3 min read
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The duel between Asians and Europeans opens the first round of Group A of the World Cup, which also includes Mexico and South Africa.
Classified undefeated in the Qualifiers, with 11 wins and five draws, South Korea reaches its 11th consecutive participation in the tournament. In 2022, in Qatar, the South Koreans fell in the round of 16 against Brazil.
Returning to the World Cup after 20 years of absence, the Czech Republic secured their place by finishing second in their group in the Qualifiers and winning the repechage: they dispatched Ireland and beat Denmark on penalties in the final.
Led by striker Heung-min Son, formerly of Tottenham and currently at Los Angeles FC, South Korea arrives motivated after beating Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 and beating El Salvador 1-0 in preparatory friendlies. The tendency is for the Asian team to play with just one striker, prioritizing a reinforced midfield and speed plays on the flanks.
The teams from South Korea and Czechia confirmed their starting formations for the next match, which promises an interesting tactical duel, as both teams will opt for the same game structure: 3-4-2-1. The coaches defined the 11 athletes who will take the field, in addition to the players available on the bench for the duration of the match.
The tactical composition of the South Korean team
The South Korean team will enter the field with its 3-4-2-1 formation, under the command of coach Myung Bo Hong. The lineup includes key players who seek balance between defense and attack, with emphasis on the presence of captain Son Heung-min leading the offensive sector.
- Goalkeeper: K. Seung-gyu (1)
- Defenders: H. Lee (2), K. Min-jae (4), G. Lee (3)
- Midfield: Y. W. Seol (22), H. In-beom (6), S. Paik (8), T. Lee (13)
- Forwards: K. Lee (19), J. Lee (10), S. Heung-min (7)(c)
The initial formation of the Czechia national team
On the Czech side, coach Miroslav Koubek also opted for a 3-4-2-1 formation, indicating a possible tactical symmetry in the clash. The team will have experienced players and a solid defense to try to neutralize their opponents.
- Goalkeeper: M. Kovář (1)
- Defenders: S. Chaloupek (6), R. Hranáč (4), L. Krejčí (7)(c)
- Midfield: V. Coufal (5), T. Souček (22), A. Sojka (24), J. Zelený (20)
- Forwards: P. Šulc (15), L. Provod (17), P. Schick (10)
The professional who will lead the arbitration
The match will be led by referee Amin Mohamed Omar. The judge has a recorded history with an average of 0.29 and 2.79 cards applied per game, information that may be relevant to the dynamics of the match and the behavior of the players on the field.
Technical commanders of the two teams
The strategists behind the teams are important figures for performance on the field. For South Korea, the technical command is Myung Bo Hong, while Czechia has Miroslav Koubek as its coach. Both are responsible for tactical decisions and substitutions that will occur throughout the game.
Options available in the reserve bank
Both teams have a range of options ready to enter the second half and change the course of the match. Substitutes are key players in injecting new gas and exploring different tactical approaches.
South Korea Reserves:
- Goalkeepers: Jo Hyeonwoo (21), Song Bum-keun (12)
- Defenders: Kim Moon-hwan (15), Wi-je Cho (14), Kim Tae-hyeon (5)
- Midfielders: Dong-gyeong Lee (26), Jens Castrop (23), Ji-sung Eom (25), Jin-gyu Kim (24), Jin-seob Park (16), Jun-Ho Bae (17)
- Forwards: Gue-sung Cho (9), Hwang Hee-chan (11), Hyeon-gyu Oh (18), Yang Hyun-Jun (20)
Czech reserves:
- Goalkeepers: Jindřich Staněk (16), Lukáš Horníček (23)
- Defenders: David Jurásek (14), David Zima (2), Tomáš Holeš (3)
- Midfielders: Michal Sadílek (18), David Douděra (21), Denis Višinský (26), Hugo Sochurek (25), Lukáš Červ (12), Vladimír Darida (8)
- Forwards: Adam Hložek (9), Jan Kuchta (11), Mojmír Chytil (13), Tomáš Chorý (19)
