SEOUL - Jurgen Klinsmann, head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, expressed his team's confidence in winning the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup, which is set to start this month in Qatar. Speaking at the annual Korea Football Association (KFA) Awards ceremony in Seoul, Klinsmann shared his enthusiasm about the team's energy and belief in their capability to bring the Asian Cup back to Korea after a 64-year hiatus. The team gathered for a sendoff in Seoul before departing for Abu Dhabi to begin their training camp for the tournament.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the goal is clear: to win the Asian Cup. He highlighted the team's hard work and the hope to make the country proud in six weeks. Veteran midfielder Lee Jae-sung, a player for Mainz 05, embraced the challenge and the pressure of ending the long wait for the Asian Cup trophy. With a strong lineup, including players from European leagues, this South Korean team is regarded as one of the most talented in recent years. Bayern Munich defender and 2023 KFA Male Player of the Year Kim Min-jae also commented on the team's strengths and readiness for the tournament.
The squad, mostly composed of K League players and some Europe-based players, will be joined in Abu Dhabi by other key players, including Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur and Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers. South Korea, ranked 23rd in the FIFA rankings, will start their Asian Cup campaign against Bahrain, followed by matches against Jordan and Malaysia in Group E. The top teams from each group, along with the four best third-place teams, will advance to the round of 16. South Korea's final tuneup match before the Asian Cup will be against Iraq in Abu Dhabi.