Yang Hyun-jun (23, Celtic), one of the most in-form South Korean players in Europe, has been called up to Hong Myung-bo’s national team as they aim to secure early qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Hong announced the squad for South Korea’s March fixtures in the third round of the AFC World Cup qualifiers at a press conference in Seoul on the 10th. Yang returns to the national team for the first time in 13 months since the 2023 Asian Cup, marking his first call-up under Hong, who took charge in July last year. "I picked him because he has been making a strong impression even in limited playing time," Hong explained.
Yang made his professional debut with Gangwon FC in the K League 1 in 2021. He quickly rose to prominence, winning both the K League Young Player of the Year and the Korea Football Association’s Young Player of the Year awards in 2022. However, after joining Scottish Premiership club Celtic in 2023, he struggled to secure regular playing time and remained out of the spotlight. According to Hong, Yang was finding it difficult to earn minutes when the coach visited Celtic during his European trip in January. But since February, Yang has been in excellent form, recording four goals and five assists in eight competitive matches. He further solidified his case with a standout performance against St. Mirren on March 2, scoring twice and providing an assist in a 5-2 victory, earning a spot in BBC Scotland’s "Team of the Week."
The national team has needed fresh attacking options as key second-line attackers have struggled with form and injuries. The Korea Football Association classifies second-line attackers as midfielders. Captain Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) has been managing his playing time in the English Premier League (EPL) for fitness reasons, while Hwang Hee-chan (29, Wolverhampton) has been sidelined for a month due to a hamstring injury. In response, Hong has turned to younger attacking midfielders, including Yang Hyun-jun, Yang Min-hyuk (19, Queens Park Rangers), and Eom Ji-sung (23, Swansea City), none of whom were called up for last November’s international matches. As a result, the 13 midfielders selected this time mark the highest number since Hong took charge.
Yang Min-hyuk, who joined QPR on loan from Tottenham in January, has been increasing his playing time and gaining match fitness. "His movement in QPR matches has been promising. He is a player who needs to develop into a key figure for the national team," Hong said. Eom Ji-sung, meanwhile, scored his debut goal for Swansea in a Championship match against Middlesbrough on March 9, 30 games into his tenure at the club. "I hope young players will stay proactive and not give up even if they make mistakes. I will strive to blend their energy with the experience of veterans like Son Heung-min," Hong added.
South Korea will face Oman at Goyang Stadium on March 20 and Jordan at Suwon World Cup Stadium on March 25 in their final two matches of the round. Depending on the results, they could secure at least second place in their group and qualify for their 11th consecutive World Cup. Two wins would confirm qualification regardless of other results. As of March 10, South Korea leads Group B with 14 points (four wins, two draws), followed by Iraq (11 points) and Jordan (9 points).
The third round of AFC qualifying consists of 18 teams divided into three groups of six, playing in a home-and-away round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup. "We will do our best to secure qualification, but I also want to create an atmosphere where players can play without pressure," Hong said.
Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com