In the ninth match of Group B of Asia's third qualifying round of the '2026 FIFA North-China World Cup' held at La International Stadium, they beat Iraq 2-0 with Kim Jin-kyu and Oh Hyun-kyu goals in the second half.
Despite the chaotic atmosphere, including the heat wave that continued in the evening, the unilateral support of more than 60,000 Iraqi fans, and the intrusion of the crowd, Hong Myung-bo, who won three valuable points on the road, recorded five wins and four draws (19 points) and secured a place second or higher in the group with the final match left and earned a ticket to the World Cup finals.
It is their 11th consecutive World Cup finals appearance, and their 12th. Their 11th consecutive World Cup finals appearance is the first in Asia and the sixth in the world. Only Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Spain, and Korea have achieved the milestone.
FIFA President Infantino said, "I sincerely congratulate South Korea on its advance to the finals of the North-China World Cup. Among other countries except Europe and South America, South Korea is the only country that has advanced to the finals for 11 consecutive times. It was an impressive achievement."
President Lee Jae-myung also wrote on social media, "The advance to the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time is an achievement achieved by only six countries around the world and the first feat in Asia," adding, "I am very proud of our national players who have been on the stage since the 1986 Mexico World Cup."
"I hope that the achievements of the national soccer team in difficult times will be a great comfort to our people," he said.
Coach Hong Myung-bo, who returned home after making a great achievement, said, "It was a difficult environment, but I was able to get the result (of advancing to the finals) because I had a very strong desire to advance to the World Cup."
"From this moment on, I think we should move on to the World Cup system," he said. "We plan to use young players (for the final match)." "We don't have many chances to test young players who will play in the World Cup. You can't just watch the game (for young players). You have to do it yourself."
As for Son Heung-min, who accompanied him on an away match in Iraq but was not included in the entry list, he said, "My foot condition is not perfect. I can play 20-30 minutes if I overdo it, but I decided it was not desirable for a player." He also praised, "Son Heung-min did not play a role on the ground, but he played his role very well outside."
Considering Hong Myung-bo's remarks, which used a large number of young players and said Son Heung-min's soles were not normal, Son Heung-min is likely to rest in the final match. 토토사이트
The team immediately disbanded at the airport on the day. The team will resume training at the National Training Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, and prepare for the match against Kouwouette that will take place at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Tuesday.