The full 23-man Klinsmann squad is ready for the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America.
Klinsmann’s squad kicked off training on Thursday afternoon at Mokdong Sports Complex in Seoul. Unlike the previous day (13th), when only 11 players practiced on the ground, everyone was present.
According to the team’s schedule, Cho Kyu-sung (Meatwillan), Oh Hyun-gyu (Celtic), and Hong Hyun-seok (Hent) joined the squad around lunchtime. After returning from the fierce battle, the team trained lightly.
The first leg of the trip will be a Group C match against Singapore at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sept. 16. The team then travels to Shenzhen, China on the 21st to face China. The first two games are crucial as it will be Son’s first trip to China. It’s a relatively straightforward schedule, with games in Singapore, China, and Thailand, but it’s not always as easy as it seems.
The squad was organized around captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), who showed up in furry gloves while chatting with his best friend Kim Jin-soo (Jeonbuk Hyundai). The light touch of the ball made the training fun. It was relatively warmer than the previous day, so the players’ expressions were cheerful. Son Heung-min called out to Hwang Eui-jo (Norwich City), “Hurry up, Hwang Eui-jo,” urging him to get involved in ball handling.
Off to one side, Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) continued their conversation. Both of them have been playing in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) this season, so there is some fatigue. This is especially true for Lee, who rejoined Paris Saint-Germain after playing at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Just as the players were getting into the swing of things, Coach Klinsmann appeared and gave a 15-minute speech. Coach Chaduri listened intently. It was a 180-degree change of pace from the previous day’s halftime practice. 보스토토 도메인
Coach Klinsmann emphasized motivation. After Singapore and China, the Asian Cup will be held in Qatar next January. Korea hasn’t won the tournament since 1960, so there’s a lot of pressure on them to conquer the top spot.
Coach Klinsmann gestured and said various things to the players. An official from the national soccer team said, “He gave various motivational speeches to the players. He told them they could bring their families to Qatar. He told them to book a hotel until the final,” he said, making it clear that the team had a reason to win.