Asia’s most successful national side will come to South Korea for their seventh consecutive World Cup with their usual status of underdogs. Well-respected Dutch duo Guus Hiddink and Dick Advocaat managed the Koreans at previous World Cups, but this time they will be led by Huh Jung-Moo, who scored a goal for Korea at Mexico ’86.

Their qualification for this summer’s showpiece event was fairly straightforward, as they topped their group as expected, despite a series of underwhelming performances along the way. Korea caused shockwaves in 2002 when they hosted the tournament and reached the semi-finals, eliminating Portugal, Italy and Spain along the way. Replicating this success is not a realistic target for Huh Jung-Moo’s men this time round though.

“This will be the last chapter in my football life,” Huh Jung-Moo said. “I will put in all my energy to achieve good results in the World Cup.”

Former Fulham winger Seol Ki-Hyeon is a notable omission from the squad due to a long-term knee injury. The squad does include well-known British players. Manchester United’s versatile Park Ji-Sung is the captain, and the main source of danger for Korea’s opponents. Ki Sung-Yong of Celtic will play in central midfield, with Bolton’s hugely impressive Lee Chung-Yong on the wing. Ex-Tottenham full-back Lee Young-Pyo is still important for his nation, and so is the infamous Ahn Jung-Hwan. He now plays his club football back in his homeland, but will be remembered by Italians for eliminating them from the 2002 World Cup with a controversial winner whilst he was a Perugia player.

Grouped with powerhouses Argentina, as well as Nigeria and Greece, the Koreans will fancy their chances of progressing through the group stage as possible runners-up.

South Korea provisional FIFA World Cup squad:
Kim Young-Kwang (Ulsan), Lee Woon-Jae (Suwon), Jung Sung-Ryong (Seongnam); Kwak Tae-Hwi (Kyoto), Kim Dong-Jin (Ulsan), Kim Hyung-Il (Pohang), Oh Beom-Seok (Ulsan), Lee Young-Pyo (Al Hilal), Lee Jung-Soo (Kashima Antlers), Cha Du-Ri (SC Freiburg), Cho Yong-Hyung (Jeju); Koo Ja-Cheol (Jeju), Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic), Kim Bo-Kyung (Oita), Kim Nam-Il (Tom Tomsk), Shin Hung-Min (Pohang), Kim Jae-Sung (Pohang), Kim Jung-Woo (Gwangju), Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton), Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United); Park Chu-Young (AS Monaco), Ahn Jung-Hwan (Dalian Shide), Lee Seung-Ryul (Seoul), Yeom Ki-Hun (Suwon), Lee Keun-Ho (Jubilo Iwata), Lee Dong-Guk (Jeonbuk).

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