Seoul: A dozen players based in the domestic K League have been named to the first squad assembled by Robert Moreno for South Korea's men's national football team. Moreno, who was appointed as South Korea's interim head coach on September 1, revealed his 30-man squad for the Taegeuk Warriors' upcoming matches at a press conference held at Korea Football Park, located about 80 kilometers south of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea is set to host Ecuador on September 24, Uruguay on September 28, Venezuela on October 2, and Uzbekistan on October 6. The inclusion of 12 K Leaguers in the 30-man squad marks a significant increase from the number of domestic league players featured in this year's FIFA World Cup, where only seven out of 26 players represented the K League.
Moreno's inaugural team features several prominent players such as captain Son Heung-min from Los Angeles Football Club, defender Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, and midfielders Lee Kang-in and Hwang In-beom from Atletico Madrid and FC Porto, respectively. Additionally, Moreno has given opportunities to three new players: Incheon United defender Kim Geon-hui, Gimcheon Sangmu midfielder Park Tae-jun, and Rangers midfielder Kim Min-su.
The squad also includes four goalkeepers, which is one more than usual. Gu Sung-yu from FC Seoul, currently leading the K League 1, joins seasoned goalkeepers Jo Hyeon-woo, Kim Seung-gyu, and Song Bum-keun. Moreno mentioned that he meticulously analyzed data on 1,700 South Korean players before finalizing his squad.
"Players' current form is more important than what they did in the past," Moreno stated. He emphasized the importance of selecting players who can contribute to both offense and defense, and expressed his desire to see passion in the eyes of the players chosen for the national team.
Known for his analytical approach, Moreno acknowledged that he would not have sufficient time to fully implement his game model for the upcoming matches. Consequently, he focused on defining specific roles for players at each position, aiming to leverage their tactical features during the training camp.
Moreno plans to adopt a 4-4-2 formation, diverging from the 3-4-2-1 setup frequently employed by his predecessor Hong Myung-bo. He indicated that this formation is not only popular in the K League but is also utilized globally.
Expressing admiration for the abilities of South Korean players, Moreno commented on their skill in maintaining ball possession and highlighted the potential of attacking players. He also addressed reports of over-reliance on artificial intelligence in his previous coaching roles, clarifying that such reports were exaggerated and taken out of context.
Following the forthcoming matches, the Korea Football Association (KFA) is working on scheduling two additional matches in November. Moreno's contract runs until November 27, with a possibility of extension depending on South Korea's performance in the first six matches under his guidance. The KFA aims to appoint a permanent head coach ahead of the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in January.
South Korean football is striving for a fresh start after an early exit from the group stage at this year's FIFA World Cup. The fallout from the tournament led to the resignations of Hong and KFA president Chung Mong-gyu, who both faced scrutiny over the controversial hiring of Hong in July 2024.
When questioned about South Korea's World Cup performance, Moreno refrained from commenting on specifics, stressing the importance of addressing improvements internally. He noted that understanding past setbacks is crucial for growth and emphasized the role of the coaching staff in creating an optimal environment for the players.