By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 15 (Yonhap) -- Pohang Steelers midfielder Oberdan will headline the starting lineup for a team of the South Korean league's All-Stars in an upcoming exhibition match against Newcastle United.
The Korea Professional Football League (K League) on Tuesday unveiled the starting lineup for Team K League, which will take on Newcastle on July 30 at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, about 30 kilometers south of Seoul, as part of the annual Coupang Play Series.
Oberdan of Pohang Steelers (R) celebrates after scoring against Daegu FC during the clubs' K League 1 match at Daegu iM Bank Park in Daegu, some 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 17, 2025, in this file photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Voting by fans determined the starting XI for Team K League, and Oberdan, a third-year midfielder from Brazil, led all players with 22,728 votes. He will be one of three midfielders, alongside Kim Jin-gyu of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Darijan Bojanic of Ulsan HD FC.
Oberdan's Pohang teammate on defense, Lee Tae-seok, finished second in votes with 22,699. He will be joined on the backline by Caio Marcelo of Daegu FC and a pair of Jeonbuk teammates, Kim Moon-hwan and Park Jin-seob.
The three forwards are: Jeon Jin-woo of Jeonbuk, Lee Dong-gyeong of Gimcheon Sangmu FC and Jasir Asani of Gwangju FC.
Ulsan HD's Jo Hyeon-woo will be the starting goalkeeper. The reigning K League 1 MVP will make his fourth straight start in the Coupang Play Series for Team K League.
Ulsan HD head coach Kim Pan-gon will be the bench boss for Team K League, and he and his assistant, Gwangju FC boss Lee Jung-hyo, will later select reserves.
After playing Team K League, Newcastle will face Tottenham Hotspur, featuring South Korean superstar Son Heung-min, on Aug. 3 at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
This image, provided by the Korea Professional Football League on July 15, 2025, shows the starting lineup for Team K League, as voted on by fans, for an exhibition match against Newcastle United. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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