South Korea

South Korea enter World Cup 2026 in Group A, where the early tests are Mexico, South Africa, and Czechia. South Korea have not lifted the trophy, but their fourth-place run on home soil in 2002 remains one of Asia's landmark World Cup achievements, and they have repeatedly shown they can trouble elite teams. The current squad is shaped around Son Heung-Min, Kim Min-Jae, and Lee Kang-In, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. The ceiling depends on how much control they can build around their stars. With pace up front and authority at center back, Korea have enough to challenge for a knockout place in a tight group. If South Korea can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.