South Korea's Ambition to Win the Asian Cup: A Detailed Look at the Team's Composition and Hopes
South Korea's Ambition to Win the Asian Cup: A Detailed Look at the Team's Composition and Hopes
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This week marks the beginning of the 2023 Asian Cup, where all competing teams are fine-tuning their strategies to capitalize on this opportunity to correct their shortcomings and excel in the tournament. Under the guidance of Jurgen Klinsmann, South Korea's team harbors a singular ambition for this Asian Cup: to exert every effort to secure the championship and reestablish their dominance in Asian football. Even as a recognized Asian football powerhouse, the Taeguk Warriors' absence of a victory in 64 years is noticeable, and the Korean public's yearning for a win is unmistakable more info.
AFC's official figures reveal that the collective market value of the 24 teams participating is 840 million euros, averaging around 35.02 million euros per team, but only Japan, South Korea, Iran, and Australia have reached this mark. Consequently, they are the frontrunners for the championship, with the ultimate victor expected to come from among them more info.
South Korea's roster comprises 26 players worth a total of 193 million euros, an impressive figure yet less than Japan's 317 million euros, suggesting a disparity in team depth. Led by the acclaimed Asian player Son Heung-min, South Korea's squad is not short on star power, yet their secondary lineup pales in comparison to the depth of Japan's Samurai Blue. The slight inferiority in the strength of their substitutes might be a disadvantage in the longer format of the tournament more info.
In the offensive department, South Korea's lineup is studded with stars like Son Heung-min and Wolverhampton's Hwang Hee-chan, who has impressively scored double digits in the Premier League in half a season and is the team's highest-paid player, peaking this season. The Asian Cup promises to be a showcase for his talents. Jeong Woo-yeong from SC Freiburg and Hwang In-beom from Celtic also consistently excel in Asian tournaments, especially the towering forward Jeong, who is eager to prove his worth more info.
The midfield is centered around Paris Saint-Germain's Lee Kang-in, renowned for his standout displays in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League, learn more here characterized by strong fundamentals, excellent strategic understanding, and effectiveness in transitioning between offense and defense, though his temperament needs
managing. Other Europe-based players like Jeong Woo-young, Lee Jae-sung, Hwang Hee-chan, and Yang Hyun-jun also demonstrate versatility and often rotate positions during games, making the Taeguk Warriors especially formidable and challenging to counter. Having proven themselves in the World Cup qualifiers, the Asian Cup should relatively be a less daunting challenge for them.
Defensively, Kim Min-jae stands as the team's backbone, particularly after his move to Bayern Munich, where he has consistently demonstrated elite center-back skills, dominating European forwards and naturally excelling in Asian competitions. The 2023 South Korean Player of the Year, Kim Min-jae, aims to validate his award with a strong performance in the Asian Cup. However, the rest of the defense comprises a blend of experienced and young players, such as well-known figures in China like Kim Young-gwon, Kim Jin-su, and Kim Tae-hwan, alongside K League players like Lee Ki-je and Jeong Seung-hyun, who have yet to play abroad, marking a slight disparity in overall skill.
Regarding goalkeepers, Kim Seung-gyu, Song Bum-keun, and Jo Hyeon-woo hold stable positions, though Jo Hyeon-woo is no longer the primary choice, which might lead to missing out on his remarkable makeup skills.
Overall, the South Korean team is endowed with significant star talent and key players who can dictate the pace of games, but their limited bench strength, particularly in comparison to Japan, might play a pivotal role in crucial matches. To triumph over their primary rivals, South Korea might need to depend on the tactical wisdom of their head coach.