“Lee Jung-hyo Syndrome” hit the national team as well.
The national soccer team, led by interim coach Hwang Sun-hong, will play the fourth leg of Group C of the Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-Central America World Cup against home team Thailand at 9:30 p.m. on the 26th (Korea Standard Time) at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
South Korea’s Son Heung-min scored the first goal in the third game at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 21st, but drew 1-1 with Thailand. South Korea, which has two wins and one draw, must win an away game in Thailand to restore its pride.
The K-League is the backbone and foundation of the Korean national team. However, former coach Jurgen Klinsmann thoroughly ignored the K-League. He has neglected the K-League, which is something that a national team coach should consider.
To make matters worse, Klinsmann entrusted K-League players to coaches and did not look at or select them properly. Some players with dead form went to the national team as built-in players, and some players who were really good didn’t get a chance. Klinsmann picked Lee Soon-min, a key midfielder in Gwangju, to the Asian Cup, but didn’t spend a second.
Hwang was different. Although he is an interim coach, he has fielded a number of promising players in the K-League. They include Joo Min-gyu, the top scorer in the K-League, Lee Myung-jae, the champion of Ulsan, and Jeong Ho-yeon, the core player of the Gwangju sensation.
Coach Lee Jung-hyo’s soccer philosophy and coaching style are also drawing keen attention in the national team, which has many players overseas. Naturally, many players are asking questions of Jung Ho-yeon. “Many people ask me how the older players teach (Lee Jung-hyo) about him,” Jung replied. That’s how curious “K Mourinho” coach Lee Jung-hyo is. 여우알바
In Jung Ho-yeon’s opinion, the national team was at a different level than the K-League. The so-called “kick the ball” players only gathered. “When I owned the ball, I knew what the players would do (going forward). I couldn’t take it away easily. I felt the difference in tempo.”