Seoul: In announcing his 26-man squad for South Korea’s two World Cup qualifying matches in November, head coach Hong Myung-bo reserved particularly high praise for Hannover 96 midfielder Lee Hyun-ju on Monday. The 21-year-old has been thriving in the 2. Bundesliga, the second division of club football in Germany, while on loan from the reserve squad of Bayern Munich. He previously had four appearances from the under-23 national team and now has a chance to collect his first cap for the senior side.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Hong expressed enthusiasm for Lee’s potential contributions to the team. “I’ve been keeping an eye on Lee Hyun-ju in Germany. His playing time has been trending up, and he has been performing better and better,” Hong said at his press conference at the Korea Football Association House in Seoul. “We don’t have his type of player on the national team. We think he can be a good option for us going forward.” Hong specifically noted Lee’s ability to thrive in limited space, which will
be advantageous against teams employing low defensive blocks.

Lee was among four players on the squad without senior international experience. Since assuming his role in July, Hong has been integrating fresh talent with seasoned players, focusing on the team’s future. Pohang Steelers defender Lee Tae-seok and Gimcheon Sangmu FC midfielder Kim Bong-soo were called up for the first time, alongside Gwangju FC goalkeeper Kim Kyeong-min, who received his first call-up at 33.

Hong also highlighted the versatility of Lee Gi-hyuk from Gangwon FC, who rejoined the national team for the first time since July 2022. “He is so versatile, and we can use him in many different positions,” the coach said. “He can play as center back, left fullback, and midfielder. Anyone with that kind of versatility is really important for the national team.”

The team is preparing to face Kuwait on November 14 and Palestine on November 19 in their World Cup qualifiers. Despite South Korea’s strong position in Group B, Hong insisted that t
hese matches would be challenging and emphasized the importance of selecting the right lineup, including seasoned players like Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Lee Jae-sung. “People say the next two opponents are underdogs, but I think these will be extremely tough matches. We’ll do our very best to get the results we want,” Hong stated.