This will be South Korea’s 10th World Cup participation, but they have managed to reach the knockout stages just twice. With Son as their leader, South Korea have put together a team which consists of several other players with European football experience, such as Hee-chan Hwang, Hwang Ui-jo and Min-jae Kim.
Not since 1982 have South Korea failed to appear at a World Cup and that streak will continue with Paulo Bento’s team competing in Qatar.
South Korea finished second in a tough third-round qualification group, beaten only in the final fixture with a place at the finals already assured. Prior to that, Bento’s side went on a seven-match winning run, and they will be hoping for similar momentum at the World Cup, where they will be looking to make it out of the group stage for the first time since 2010.
Son Heung-min is South Korea’s most obvious difference-maker, with the Tottenham forward a prolific goalscorer for club and country. Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan is also an important figure for the Tigers of Asia. South Korea’s best World Cup performance saw them reach the semifinals on home soil in 2002 — can they match that result in the Middle East?
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 28 (November, 2022)
- Regional ranking: 3rd (AFC)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 10 (Russia 2018)
- How qualified: AFC Third Round Group A runners-up 7W-L1-D2
- Coach: Paulo Bento (Portugal) since August, 2018
- Key players: Son Heung-min (Tottenham / England), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves / England), Kim Min-jae (Napoli / Italy)
World Cup Group H fixtures and match schedule
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Thurs, Nov. 24 | Uruguay vs. South Korea | 8 a.m. | Education City Stadium |
| Thurs, Nov. 24 | Portugal vs. Ghana | 11 a.m. | Stadium 974 |
| Mon, Nov. 28 | South Korea vs. Ghana | 8 a.m. | Education City Stadium |
| Mon, Nov. 28 | Portugal vs. Uruguay | 2 p.m. | Lusail Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 2 | South Korea vs. Portugal | 10 a.m. | Education City Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 2 | Ghana vs. Uruguay | 10 a.m. | Al Janoub Stadium |
Bengali