Recently, the Korean national soccer team by age group recorded a series of complete defeats in international friendly competitions held in Spain, raising concerns. Both the men’s U-19 national team and the U-15 national team lost to the United States and Saudi Arabia with scores of 0 to 3, respectively, and areas that need improvement came to the surface.
The Republic of Korea U-19 soccer team lost 0-3 to the United States in the 4-nation international friendly tournament held in Marbella, Spain on the 17th (Korean time). / Provided by Korea Football Association
First of all, the U-19 national team led by coach Lee Chang-won lost 0 to 3 to the United States in the first match of the Four Nations International Friendly Tournament held in Marbella, Spain on the 17th (Korean time).
The national team deployed Kim Gyeol (Seoul E-Land) and Kim Tae-won (Portimonense) at the front line, while Baek Min-gyu (Incheon United), Son Seung-min (Daegu FC), Kim Ho-jin (Yongin University), and Baek Ga-on (Boing High School) took charge of the midfield. The back four defense consisted of Kim Hyun-woo (Yeongdeungpo Technical High School), Shin Min-ha (Gangwon FC), Kang Min-woo (Ulsan HD), and Lee Kun-hee (Suwon Samsung), and Gong Si-hyeon (Jeonbuk Hyundai) guarded the goal.
However, in the first game against the United States, they did not show any clear results and allowed three goals. Immediately after the game against the United States, the national team began preparing for the game against Denmark, which was to be held the next day.
Korea was originally scheduled to play against France on the 15th, but the match against us was canceled as the French Football Association accepted the teams’ request to allow them to play only two games during the international match period to protect players. Accordingly, the national team pursued an evaluation match with a Spanish club team, but this did not take place due to local heavy rain.
The U-19 national team is an age group team that will participate in next year’s AFC U-20 Asian Cup and FIFA U-20 World Cup, and this loss is seen as an important warning light to prepare for future competitions.
U-15 national team players starting in Saudi Arabia. / Provided by Korea Football Association
The U-15 national team also suffered a shock by losing 0 to 3 to Saudi Arabia in the second round of the 2024 Football Federation Cup held in Spain.
In this match held in Salou, near Barcelona, Spain, on the 14th (local time), Korea was tied 0-2 in the first half and was completely defeated by conceding an additional goal 4 minutes into the second half. The U-15 national team, which had previously lost 1 to 2 in its first game against Poland, recorded its second consecutive loss and was confirmed to be eliminated early.
The U-15 national team that participated in this tournament is made up of players born in 2009 and is led by coach Kim Hyun-jun and the coaching staff. However, they faced difficulties due to negative factors such as poor performance and goalkeeper Kim Geon-ho (Incheon United U15) returning home midway due to injury.
The consecutive defeats of the national team in each age group can be read as a signal that the future of Korean soccer needs to be reexamined. Neither the U-19 nor the U-15 national teams showed any significant competitiveness in important games. It was pointed out that the response to dense defense and quick counterattacks was insufficient, and problems with lack of tactical flexibility were also highlighted.
The role of the national team by age group is to go beyond just current performance and lay the foundation for the future national team. Although the performance of this competition was insufficient, it is more important than anything to make up for the shortcomings and improve.
This collaboration potentially benefit both teams and the future of Korean soccer as a whole?
As an editor for world-today-news.com, I had the opportunity to interview two experts in the field of Korean soccer about the recent string of losses suffered by the Korean national soccer team in international friendlies held in Spain. The first guest is Mr. Kim, a former Korean national team player and currently a respected soccer analyst for one of the major sports networks in Korea. The second guest is Ms. Lee, a women’s soccer coach who has been involved in developing young female players for the national team for over a decade.
Mr. Kim, as a soccer expert, you have been following the recent performances of the Korean national team. What are your thoughts on the back-to-back losses suffered by the U-19 and U-15 national teams against the United States and Saudi Arabia? Can you explain the areas that need improvement in these teams?
Ms. Lee, as a coach who has worked extensively with young female players, what do you think are the key factors that contribute to the poor performance of the U-19 and U-15 national teams? More importantly, how can we address these issues to ensure a strong future for Korean soccer?
Mr. Kim, looking at the rosters for both friendly matches, it seems like there were several players from top K-League clubs involved. Do you think there’s a need for more emphasis on player development at the grassroots level, or are these results indicative of broader issues within the Korean soccer system?
Ms. Lee, as a female coach, you’ve had great success in developing young players into successful professionals. What do you think are some of the unique challenges that female soccer players face in terms of training and competition, and how can we address these challenges to improve the overall quality of the game?
Mr. Kim, considering the recent retirement of veteran players like Son Heung-min and Ki Sung-yueng from the national team, there is a lot of pressure on younger players to step up. Do you think the Korean Football Association (KFA) is doing enough to support these younger players and provide them with the resources they need to succeed?
Ms. Lee, do you think there needs to be more collaboration between the men’s and women’s national teams in terms of training and player development? How can
