The dust has barely settled on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and South Korea’s next World Cup journey begins. Their first qualifier is against underdog Singapore.
Jürgen Klinsmann’s men’s national team will kick off the second round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 North and Central American World Cup at 8 p.m. on Saturday at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Singapore is an underdog at 155th in the FIFA rankings. They are a whopping 131 places below South Korea (24th). While the head-to-head record may not mean much, with the last meeting between the two sides taking place in September 1990 (7-0 win), the Koreans have dominated the 26 previous meetings with 21 wins, three draws and two losses.
They are also the lowest-ranked opponent in the FIFA rankings since Klinsmann took over in March. However, Klinsmann’s attitude towards his first trip to the World Cup in North and Central America is serious. With so much upheaval in the world of soccer lately, there is no room for error.
“I don’t think Singapore is an underdog,” Klinsmann said at the pre-match press conference on Friday. I watched a Singaporean professional team play, and I saw them beat a strong Korean team (Ryan City 2-0 Jeonbuk Hyundai). I felt that it was a warning to the national team.” “We need to prepare more seriously than thinking that we will win. They have the ability to score from set pieces and counterattacks. We welcome Singapore (to Korea), but we will prepare for the game seriously.” 보스토토 주소
In the past, Klinsmann has fielded his best squad even against lesser teams. Some have pointed out that there could be problems with the fitness and injuries of players playing in Europe. In Germany, there was also a controversy about Kim Min-jae’s playing time and traveling distance this season.
However, Klinsmann said, “As a player, it’s good to play five games in a row, not just train. I think the World Cup qualifiers are a stage where you want to play, not rest. In that sense, Kim Min-jae will want to play and not be tired. I think the German media wrote that because they had to write an article, but the players are ready.” “I met with Kim today, and he had a happy smile on his face. It’s his birthday today, and we’ll give him a cake after training,” he added.