South Korea

Brazil dismantle South Korea to dance into World Cup quarter-finals | World Cup 2022

It was a still and sultry night in Qatar’s capital: the grass a little greasy to the touch, the stadium bouncing and jiving, the football from a brighter and less troubled world. And there were times when watching Brazil’s symphonic demolition of South Korea when it was briefly possible to leave behind earthly cares, partake of the simpler pleasures in life, lose oneself in the pure, riotous joy of football.

Brazil really were that good. For the first 40 minutes, as they waltzed and wove their way to a four‑goal lead, they played the sort of football we have not seen from them for many years: special-effects football, computer-game football, football so filthily good you needed a cigarette and a shower after watching it. For 40 minutes Neymar and Richarlison and Raphinha and Vinícius Júnior and Lucas Paquetá blazed little triangles, quadrilaterals, shapes that didn’t have a name yet, shapes embroidered and gilded with wicked flicks and outrageous stepovers.

The crowd bayed for more, not because they wanted to see the Koreans humiliated, but because how could you possibly want this to end? It was a reminder, perhaps, that while football may have been invented on the public school playing fields of England, it was perfected on the pampas and praias of Brazil. And it was possible to imagine, watching on a hospital television somewhere in Sao Paulo, an 82-year-old cancer patient called Pelé watching this mesmeric blur of yellow shirts and offering a quiet nod of approval.

Does this bring that fabled sixth World Cup within reach? Yes, but only one game closer. The tightly wound fist of Croatia, who await them in the quarter-finals, will offer a different flavour of test entirely to the cavalier South Korea.

Coach Tite may just raise a qualm or two about some of the defending, with Paik Seung‑ho claiming a late consolation and Alisson required to make at least two magnificent saves. But really, this was not a night for cold realities.

That much was clear from the moment Vinícius Júnior opened the scoring with an incredible, improvised practical joke of a finish: a little punt of the toe, Ronaldinho-like in its cheek. It was Raphinha who set up the chance with some brilliant skill on the right. The clock showed seven minutes. Already you got the feeling it was going to be a long evening for South Korea.

The returning Neymar scored with a penalty six minutes later, sending Kim Seung-gyu the wrong way with a little comedy shuffle. Richarlison, who had won the penalty, would go on to score the best goal of the game on 28 minutes: dribbling the ball three times on his head, laying it off, getting it back, and finishing with an affected coolness. Even Tite did a little jig on the touchline this time.

South Korea went for it. What else could they do? Alisson made two good saves from Hwang Hee-chan, but every Korean attack left them ever more vulnerable to the speed of the break, and shortly before half-time one such counter led to a dinked cross from Vinícius Júnior, finished with a scathing finality by Paquetá on the volley. Brazil could conceivably have been six or seven goals up by half-time.

Brazil’s Richarlison scores the third goal to complete a fine team move. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

And that was enough, really. Had they simply called off the game and rolled the credits after 45 minutes, everyone would have been happy. And yet due to competition regulations Brazil were still contractually bound to play the second half, a half that unfolded with roughly the same pace and intensity as a money-spinning pre-season friendly in Charlotte. The luckless Son Heung-min curled a shot just wide. Later he would be denied by two brilliant blocks from Marquinhos and a fingertip save from Alisson.

But the Koreans deserved something for their presence, even if it was only the footballing equivalent of a party bag. Paik’s goal, smashed in from long range after Casemiro headed away a free-kick, was a welcome point of catharsis for the Korean fans, who have been so memorable this tournament. Brazil continued to twiddle and fiddle away, desperate to crown this triumph with one last Instagram-worthy moment. But it was not to be.

And so Asia’s World Cup has lost its last Asian team. South Korea have certainly had their moments in this tournament, not least their dramatic win over Portugal, and in particular those few minutes after the end when the entire squad hunched around a tiny mobile phone screen to watch the climax of the Uruguay game. The bulk of their squad probably has one more World Cup in them – Son will be 33 – and in the striker Cho Gue-sung they have unearthed a real talent who may well soon be taking up residence in the UK as a new signing for Celtic.

But it was Brazil’s night, even if it was not theirs alone. Up in the stands, his bald features framing a thin smile, the Fifa president Gianni Infantino gazed upon the spectacle he had brought into being, the monster he created that turned out could sing perfectly in tune. In a way, this was the sort of unforgettable entertainment content he had been craving all along from this tournament: the point when all the awkward moral questions and irritating Western provocateurs could simply melt away, buried under an avalanche of Brazilian pizzazz. So yes, this was Brazil’s triumph. But in a way, it was also Qatar’s.

Brazil’s Tite faces judgment day as stars return against South Korea | World Cup 2022

The A Team will be back on telly for Brazil on Monday night. Defeat in their final group game cut deep, with the criticism for fielding a heavily weakened team unexpectedly fierce back home. But the Brazil coach, Tite, insists he did the right thing and, never mind Lusail, it is the 974 Stadium that should provide the proof. He has also turned on the “lies” accusing him of knowingly risking the Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus, and revealed that Neymar could start. If judgment was to be reserved then, now it will be real as the seleção meet South Korea in the last 16.

Despite dominating against Cameroon and racking up 21 shots, Brazil conceded a 92nd-minute Vincent Aboubakar goal to lose 1-0, their first defeat by an African side at the World Cup. They did so with a starting XI that included only two regulars and Alex Telles and Jesus were forced off, joining Danilo, Alex Sandro and Neymar on the injury list. Of the final three, though, only Sandro will definitely miss the Korea game. Brazil, already through, also came unexpectedly close to losing first place in the group.

The captain, Thiago Silva, insisted “we took risks, yes, but we think it is worth it”. The coach meanwhile explained why and even called on his assistant César Sampaio to provide the statistical evidence. In short, he had rested his players. Not one Brazil player has started all three matches and it is possible that of the starting XI against Cameroon only Éder Militão and Fred will line up against South Korea.

One man who will not do so is Jesus, who sustained a knee injury that is expected to keep him out for about a month. Tite reacted angrily to reports that he knew there was a risk in fielding Jesus. “I don’t like hearing lies, said with bad intent,” he said.

“We never put a player at risk. The liars, the haters, can go and do something else and stop giving fake news. Arsenal have a great medical department, we have a great medical department and we are responsible and ethical. I didn’t want this to happen and we’re very sorry for him. We have spoken to him. I’m not saying we can take the pain away but we have tried to make him feel better, to give him strength and to have him participate as much as possible.”

On one level, the injury to Jesus served to justify Tite’s decision to protect his starters, with Richarlison, Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha starting on the bench against Cameroon and on Raphinha coming on. The decision was not widely welcomed, though. “I’m not here to start a fight,” Tite said. “I accept criticism for fielding a team that was different. That’s part of life, part of my job. There are different ideas? Of course! But this World Cup has elements that make it different: heat, intensity, short recovery time.”

There were only two full days between Brazil’s last group match and this knockout tie and, using Poland as the example, Tite explained that their fitness analysts had seen a 40% drop in intensity in the third game, and that eight players had physical problems. “It’s very tough for the human body,” he said. That rest allowed his players to come into this tie with almost a week’s break between starting games, with the added prospect of getting Neymar and Danilo back. If declared fully fit, Neymar will start.

“We will never take a risk with his health: Neymar depends on the medical department saying OK,” Tite said. “I want to make that very, very clear. If he practises and he’s OK he will play.”

It may not have been his intention, but the best defence of Tite’s approach probably came from the South Korea coach, Paulo Bento, who would have welcomed the chance to do something similar. His tone was that of a curiously pessimistic man.

“I am a realist,” he said. “I’ve told the players that this is a tough objective but we have to try. After the physical and emotional fatigue of the Portugal game we decided to let them rest. They’ve only trained once. Seventy-two hours between games is too little; I doubt any team can do that. I watched 2018 and I don’t remember that. The space between matches was always longer. It’s a burden and we obviously have an additional burden compared to Brazil, because they changed their lineup. They did something we couldn’t do.

Brazil coach Tite, left, alongside captain Thiago Silva speaking to media ahead of the last-16 meeting with South Korea. Photograph: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA

“It is hard to play against Brazil, one of the teams most likely to win the World Cup, and our task will be very difficult but we won’t give up. We know we will suffer a bit. We haven’t had the time to practise on [their weaknesses] but we will do it from a theoretical point of view. I told the players that if we played Brazil in many matches, they would be champions but it’s one match and we have a chance.” He said if they “compete and fight to the last whistle … it will be a victory no matter what”.

Diverse World Cup knockout stage a leap forward for Africa and Asia | World Cup 2022

Amid the stultifying debate over whether the ball had crossed the byline before Ao Tanaka’s winner for Japan against Spain, something more important was lost. The goal ultimately ensured that, for the first time, every inhabited continent was represented in a World Cup last 16. Less than a day would pass before South Korea enhanced Asia’s contingent, guaranteeing the most diverse knockout stage in the tournament’s history.

It makes for a mouthwatering set of ties and will also be music to the ears of Qatar, which assiduously posits itself as a unifying force regardless of evidence to the contrary. Hosting a competition with a greater global spread of participants than any other is not hard to spin positively: the mix is a consequence of drama that, after a slow start, gave this group stage a claim to be the best ever on pure footballing terms.

Those outside Europe and South America have particular cause to agree. Six countries from beyond football’s traditional powerhouse continents have reached the knockout stage and, in the nine previous iterations to include a last 16, that had never been done. Africa has matched its best performance in qualifying two of its five entrants, Morocco and Senegal, without the presence of stars such as Sadio Mané, Riyad Mahrez, Victor Osimhen and Mohamed Salah; Asia has equalled its high watermark of 2002. The Asian confederation can claim its best performance given Australia have fallen under its aegis since 2006.

What does any of this mean? It may be folly to draw sweeping conclusions given, for those not in Europe, small allocations mean the line between perceived success and failure can be wafer thin. One result can change everything. Only four years have passed since Africa was soul-searching after failing to send anyone beyond the group stage, Didier Drogba describing it as “a big step back”.

Now it can point to a World Cup that, on one level, has already been its best: African teams have won a record seven matches in Qatar and only a decent Ghana side, whose fortunes turned on André Ayew’s early penalty miss against Uruguay, recorded fewer than four points. The standard of football in Africa has not rollercoastered that wildly over the past half-decade in practice.

“It’s very, very difficult to get far if you have five slots,” the then Ghana manager, Otto Addo, pointed out after their opening defeat by Portugal. “If you have 12 or 14 slots the probability that a team will get further is much, much higher.”

Africa will have at least nine sides at the expanded World Cup in 2026, one of whose vanishingly few blessings is that increased allocations for the previously less favoured regions should make it easier to detect trends. Asia’s contingent will rise by at least two. A third of the slots will come from Europe, down from its current share of 40%.

Given hopeful proclamations of a new world order did not come to pass after 2002, when Senegal joined the cohosts South Korea in the quarter-finals, optimism about a wider levelling up should be tempered. But the idea is not entirely fanciful. It was striking to hear the Morocco coach, Walid Megraoui, speaking after the tight goalless draw with Croatia that set the foundations for his team’s later success.

Abderrazak Hamdallah challenges Luka Modric as Morocco match Croatia in their group opener. Photograph: Aijaz Rahi/AP

“We played like a European team and that’s why I am so happy,” he said. “If we had played brilliantly and lost then everyone would be very upset. We played in a very solid way like a European team and made it difficult for them to play against us. We need to look at African specifics and understand how to win when a match is tight.”

It suggests that, in a football world of few secrets, the intensely drilled methods honed in the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A may finally have seeped down into the more chaotic realm of the international game. Bar Qatar and Saudi Arabia, whose respective fortunes were decidedly mixed, every squad in this tournament has a generous sprinkling of players from those major domestic leagues.

That is hardly new: it has been the case for two decades. But when they are augmented by a generation of tactically smart, quick-thinking coaches who understand how to harness the qualities taught abroad in a short preparation time, perhaps it heralds the next step. “The gold standard in the world,” is how the Japan coach, Hajime Moriyasu, referred to European football before defeating Spain. The Japanese game has had strong links with Germany in particular for many years.

On one level, such assessments breed discomfort: the instinctive thought is that Asian and African sides should not feel compelled to eschew their own styles in deference to theories honed in Manchester, Munich and Madrid. Homogenisation should not be the only way. But that is where football has long been headed and it becomes more palatable if the “European” benchmark is seen as a global one, practised by players and coaches from across the world, that happens to have taken hold there.

South American teams have long trodden a successful balance between what works locally and abroad. But this has been an unprepossessing World Cup for Conmebol so far, only two of their teams progressing. That has only happened twice before. Brazil and Argentina both began the tournament with convincing claims to go all the way but, even if Ecuador and Uruguay would both have qualified with four points in a different year, there is no support acts in the knockout stage.

Again, those fine margins: seven of the eight groups contained a team that missed out despite recording a win and a draw. It means nobody has too much cause to fret; if hitherto unheralded outposts are expressing themselves more volubly now, it simply means this tournament is doing the job it should. And even if Europe has only twice been represented more thinly than this in a last 16, a 50% share of the places still tells a tale.

For all the analysis and grasping for reasons, on Saturday night an Australian striker called Mitchell Duke from the Japanese second-tier side Fagiano Okayama will have had reasonable cause to believe he can outgun Lionel Messi and Argentina. Maybe that, more than anything else, speaks of the breadth that lies in front of us.

Hwang fires South Korea into last 16 with late winner against Portugal | World Cup 2022

Son Heung-min was unmasked and South Korea were liberated from Group H. Eventually. Paulo Bento’s side left it until the 90th minute to secure the win they needed against Portugal and had to wait a further six minutes for confirmation that Uruguay had not pipped them to second place. A mass huddle gathered in the centre of the pitch erupted when their place in the last 16 was finally secured.

Son threw his mask into the air after creating Hwang Hee-chan’s late winner with a superb run and pass into the substitute’s path. The Tottenham striker had collected possession deep inside his own half from a Portugal corner before sprinting away and nut-megging Diogo Dalot for Hwang to send a cool finish past Diogo Costa. South Korea had trailed after five minutes but produced the perfect comeback to follow Portugal into the knockout stage.

South Korea needed Ghana not to win or Uruguay not to win by too many in the other Group H finale but also to forget about permutations elsewhere. Their task was straightforward – just win – and appeared to have been assisted by the Portugal coach Fernando Santos’s decision to make six changes from the team that beat Uruguay, with only one enforced. A nervous opening undermined any advantage that may have been offered by the team sheet, however.

Portugal, already qualified and requiring one point to guarantee first place, plus a potential route to the final that should avoid Brazil, led inside five minutes courtesy of a simple but sweetly executed goal. The defensive veteran Pepe released Dalot in space down the right and the Manchester United full-back brushed aside a weak challenge from Kim Jin-Su to advance into the area. Dalot picked out the darting run of Ricardo Horta to the near post and the forward swept a fine first time finish into the far corner.

It was a gift that left one Portuguese coach in the crowd fuming. South Korea’s head coach Bento, a former Portugal manager, was sat in the stands as a result of his red card in the aftermath of the defeat to Ghana. He claimed he would sing both national anthems to keep his compatriots and his employers happy. In the end he sang neither. Bento’s assistant, Sérgio Costa, took charge in the technical area. They witnessed an encouraging response from South Korea to the early setback with their threat from set-pieces, and Portugal’s weakness at defending them, offering a clear route back.

An offside flag denied Kim Jun-Su an equaliser when he tucked away a Son cross that was flicked on to the back post by Cho Gue-Sung. But South Korea levelled shortly afterwards when Portugal made a collective mess of attempting to clear Lee Kang-in’s corner. Both Dalot and Rúben Neves failed to connect with defensive headers at the near post and, as the ball sailed through, Cristiano Ronaldo turned his back for some inexplicable reason. The cross cannoned off the Portugal captain’s back and dropped to Kim Young-gwon, who swept a shot beyond Costa at close range.

South Korea players rejoice after qualification is confirmed following the final whistle in the other group match. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

It was not Ronaldo’s day, much like Uruguay had not been his night. Chasing the one goal that would draw him level with Eusébio’s World Cup record of nine for Portugal, Ronaldo was thwarted by the goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu when clean through – though he also appeared offside – and was unable to convert a difficult diving header after the keeper parried Vitinha’s drive. To the mass disappointment of Ronaldo’s fan club inside Education City, the superstar was sensibly substituted with 25 minutes remaining.

For a team needing just one goal to advance into the last 16 there was remarkably little urgency to South Korea’s second-half performance. Costa was rarely tested in the Portugal goal and Santos’ substitutes squandered several opportunities to regain the lead on the counterattack. But all that changed in an instant, and at the precise moment the fourth official signalled six minutes of stoppage time, when Son set off on a galloping run that would end in triumph for Hwang and South Korea. They still had to endure an agonising wait after their final whistle for the result of Uruguay v Ghana to come through. The tension was unbearable, with Bento pacing up and down the tunnel and players watching the other game on a coach’s phone.

Eventually they could rejoice and, for the first time since 2010, South Korea had progressed out of their group.

Kudus doubles up to edge Ghana past South Korea in World Cup thriller | World Cup 2022

Ghana’s task is now clear: bury the ghosts of Soccer City and reach the knockout stage. Victory over Uruguay, who defeated them so heartbreakingly on that climactic night in 2010, would complete the job and on present form drama seems a given. A rollercoaster evening’s work against South Korea brought a two-goal lead, courtesy of Mohammed Salisu and Mohammed Kudus, before a pair of fine headers from Cho Gue-sung pegged them back. Kudus, the gifted Ajax forward, had the final say and the details only partly convey a compelling, intensely absorbing spectacle. South Korea retain interest in the competition but must now beat Portugal and hold their breath.

The early tempo spoke of what would follow. It was set by South Korea, who flew forward and showed no hint of the tribulations they would soon face. They had won seven corners by the 18 minute mark: none brought a clear chance but Ghana were forced to defend scrappily as shots and headers rained in. Jeong Woo-yeong saw a drive deflected wide and Son Heung-min, warming to life in a mask, found clean air with an overhead kick. Son had already tricked to the line with one run down the left, outsmarting Tariq Lamptey on the Brighton player’s first World Cup start.

It made for a tide of red Ghana could not easily stem, although Daniel Amartey broke things up with an arm across Cho that earned a yellow card. Perhaps the act of slowing the game down proved crucial: Ghana had constructed nothing by the first half’s midway point but nonetheless turned the game on its head.

The opener was scrappy but no less crucial for that. It came after Jordan Ayew, another who had not against the Portuguese swung over a deep left-sided free-kick; Kim Min-jae leapt to head away but, in a crowd of bodies, the ball ricocheted inside the six-yard box. Salisu was sharpest to it, sweeping past Kim Seung-gyu for a goal that hardly seemed likely.

Mohammed Kudus

Now Ghana’s tails were up. Kudus, previously anonymous, burst into life before being hauled back by Jung Woo-young. South Korea’s fire had been doused but it was still a surprise to see them on the ropes again so quickly. They seemed to be flattened by a second goal, shortly after the half-hour, that was more aesthetically pleasing than the first but bore telling similarities.

It came from another cross by Jordan Ayew, sent in from an identical position but from open play after Gideon Mensah had fed him. Again it was not defended, Kudus making smart late run and converting with a flashed glancing header.

In their starkly different ways, these now looked like two teams transformed. When Son next had a run at Lamptey, he came off second best. There could hardly have been a more succinct precis of the change in tone and Thomas Partey could have accentuated it had he not headed over.

Cho Gue-sung heads his and South Korea’s second goal. Photograph: Lee Jin-man/AP

South Korea huddled in conference before the restart. Whatever was said made the most profound difference and Ghana could not say there was no warning before Cho thrust them back into the game so thrillingly. In the 53rd minute he had reached a left-wing cross only for Lawrence Ati-Zigi to push away; it was the first serious threat to their goal but the next two were carried out in clinical fashion.

First Cho took advantage of outstanding work from Lee Kang-in, who had only been introduced a minute previously and showed his eagerness when sliding in to win possession from Lamptey. He matched that with an excellent delivery and Cho, hanging in the air, made no mistake this time. A repeat performance arrived within three minutes, Kim Jin-su taking Son’s pass on the overlap and chipping across for Cho to outdo his earlier effort by throwing himself into a finish of stunning hunger and power.

Would South Korea now push on? It seemed likely although this game’s capacity to confound was now well established. So it was that Ghana flew straight back into the ascendancy, the left flank proving fertile ground for a fifth time in the game. On this occasion it was Mensah who centred towards Inaki Williams, the centre-forward miskicking. Kudus was on hand to greet the moving ball with a low first-time shot of exceptional quality.

There was no chance South Korea would go quietly. Ati-Zigi repelled Lee’s free-kick and Salisu cleared off the line from Kim Jun-su. The keeper denied Cho a hat-trick in added time and Ghana can now reckon with history.

Frustration for Uruguay in stodgy goalless draw against South Korea | World Cup 2022

There appear to be three sorts of games at this World Cup. There are the games in which the stronger team batter the weaker team (Spain, England, France). There are the shocks, in which the stronger team are undone by opponents that are slightly better than anticipated (Saudi Arabia, Japan), and there are the fairly evenly matched games in which nothing much happens (the others). This was very much in the third category.

The temptation is to come up with a tenuous grand theory as to why this should be. There is barely any data but, still, let’s indulge ourselves. Could it be that all three types of game are the result of the lack of preparation time, four weeks compressed into four days?

Some sides, having played in continental competition last year and comfortable with how they intend to play, are still in rhythm from their domestic seasons and so hit their stride immediately. Others could have done with more time to fine-tune, to try to generate something approximating to the cohesive styles that now predominate at club level. Aware of their shortcomings they become naturally more risk-averse, for defensive structures are far easier to assemble than the attacking systems that can overcome them, and the result is stodginess. And this was extremely stodgy, a 0-0 in which Darwin Núñez mis-hitting an attempted clip four or five yards wide counted as incident.

One of the nicest things about World Cups is meeting old friends. Usually that means foreign journalists, or Belgium, but Uruguay have a pleasing array of familiar faces so that watching them is like idly turning on a random snooker tournament in the middle of the afternoon and finding that Jimmy White is still gamely taking on John Higgins. There was Luis Suárez, scuffling around up front, a magnificent irritant – although perhaps neither so magnificent nor so irritating as he used to be. There, coming off the bench for a 134th cap, were the flared cheekbones of Edinson Cavani. And there, at the heart of the defence, gnarled, implacable, half as old as time, was Diego Godín, winning his 160th cap. He even headed against the base of a post from a right-wing corner three minutes before half-time for old time’s sake.

There was also Martín Cáceres, on his 116th appearance for his national team, still chugging up and down with his man-bun. Of the Uruguay back four, it was he who had the most work to do, with Na Sang-ho probably South Korea’s greatest threat. It was from the FC Seoul forward’s low cross that Hwang Ui-jo fired over after 34 minutes. The right-back Kim Moon-hwan sank to his knees in despair, which given there was at least an hour still to play, seemed an overreaction – but perhaps he knew just how few chances there would be.

Matias Víña’s attempts to score against Kim Seung-gyu — Matias Víña’s athletic attempt to score fails against South Korea’s Kim Seung-gyu. Photograph: Alessandra Tarantino/AP

And Uruguay play in a pleasingly unchanging way. In a world of flux, it’s good to have constants. Football may always be developing. We may now live in a world of high lines and low blocks, of half-spaces and transitions, but Uruguay, for all the talk of the revolution in youth development wrought by Óscar Tabárez, remain steadfast, always defending – even if there was a slightly distressing moment early in the second half as Rodrigo Bentancur, a product of Tabárez’s holistic approach to youth development, performed a figure-of-eight pirouette to extricate the ball from trouble just outside his own box.

Sometimes it is beautiful, as when José Giménez dispossessed Son Heung-min with a delicious sliding tackle five minutes into the second half. But mostly it is just slightly frustrating: why, when they have such talent in the side, are they seemingly so reluctant to use it?

At the Asian Cup in 2019, the criticism of South Korea was that they dominated the ball and did little with it – and it may not be a coincidence that their coach, Paulo Bento, who has been in charge since 2018, is a veteran of the Portugal side of 20 years ago who were often guilty of much the same failing. The first half here seemed to be following that pattern, but Uruguay gradually began to assert themselves as the second half went on.

But not enough to win the match, or really to cause much of a threat, at least until Federico Valverde pinged a 25-yarder against the post in the 89th minute. Avoiding defeat, perhaps, is the most important thing in the opener in the group, but this was a game in which it felt both sides would happily have shaken hands on a draw at half-time.

South Korea’s Kim Min-jae: ‘My nickname The Monster sums me up’ | South Korea

Kim Min-jae describes it as “one of the greatest moments in my life”, and it certainly made for an unusual scene, quite the entrance. The imposing South Korea centre-half has taken Serie A by storm since signing for Napoli in the summer and he intends to do likewise at the World Cup. But before he looks forward – South Korea kick off against Uruguay on Thursday – he wants to look back, to reflect on when it all started.

Kim had to do things the hard way. The boy from Tongyeong, a small city on Korea’s south coast, was thrilled to have received his first call-up to the South Korea under-17 team in 2012 but it meant a long journey to the Paju national football centre at the other end of the country.

Some of his teammates would travel the night before and others on the morning of the meet. It was more difficult for Kim. His parents worked around the clock to run a little sushi restaurant in Tongyeong and getting him up north on time was always going to be a challenge.

Kim’s father had the solution, even if it was a slightly less than perfect one. He would combine dropping Kim off with a business trip to the East Sea and they would take the restaurant’s fish-transportation truck. It meant setting off in the middle of the night because the truck’s top speed was nothing to get excited about and the journey would last seven hours. But they made it.

“The truck was really, really big, about 15 to 20 tons,” Kim says. “It had a water tank where they could put fresh fish. I remember the day so clearly because the excitement was huge. I was only sorry that my dad then had to go to another city to drop off some fish.

“It was my first call-up to a national team, I was very young and I was a bit shy and ashamed to arrive like this. The other kids came in normal cars. But it was a very good story for me. I am close to my father and these are the kind of moments that have made me who I am.”

Kim can tell plenty of tales about his humble background. How, for example, he would wear hand-me-down boots from the older boys during his school days because his parents could not afford new ones. When he dropped out of Yonsei university in his second year to pursue a career in professional football – he had studied sport, leisure and physical education – he said it was because he was impatient to help his parents financially.

But the hardships and sacrifices have long since come to feel worthwhile. The 26-year-old has hit the big time at Napoli after his €19m move from Fenerbahce, making the club’s fans forget the sale of Kalidou Koulibaly to Chelsea.

Kim Min-jae celebrates Napoli’s win over Empoli this month. Photograph: Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock

Kim has not missed a beat during Napoli’s march into an eight-point lead at the top of Serie A and their progress to the Champions League last 16. He was named by EA Sports as the Serie A player of the month for September and given the same honour by the Italian Footballers’ Association for October. This is not supposed to happen to players with no previous experience of Europe’s elite divisions.

If Kim’s hero status in Tongyeong is well-established – there is a placard in the city that celebrates his status as a South Korea international – he now stands to become a poster boy for Asian football at the World Cup.

What marks Kim out is his hulking 6ft 3in frame. “It’s not difficult to recognise me on the street in Naples,” he says with a smile, as he considers how he sometimes has to stay at home to draw breath in the football-crazy city. His nickname of “The Monster” is well established, given to him by fans and media at the beginning of his career. “I really like it,” he says. “It sums up my positive attributes as a defender.”

There is also his pace and comfort on the ball, not to mention his determination and obsession with learning – from his international and domestic managers, Paulo Bento and Luciano Spalletti respectively; from the strikers he faces. “I’m looking forward to defending against Darwin Núñez in the Uruguay game,” Kim says. Cristiano Ronaldo is also in his sights. South Korea play Portugal in their final group tie. Their other opponents are Ghana.

“Never stop dreaming, time won’t wait for you,” reads a tattoo on Kim’s left arm, which speaks volumes. He also has “Carpe Diem” inked on to his chest. “Our main goal is to pass the group stage,” Kim says, and South Korea have done it twice, most memorably as the co-hosts in 2002 when they reached the semi-final.

Kim was too young to take it in but part of his preparations for Qatar has involved re-watching old matches in which South Korea have upset the odds. One was the 1-0 win over Portugal in the final group game in 2002 when Park Ji-sung scored.

“I really loved that,” Kim says. “You could see the desire in the players’ eyes. I was very impressed by how the right-sided defender, Song Chong-gug, played Luís Figo. Because I’m a defender that was the part I focused on.”

The conversation turns towards Son Heung-min, South Korea’s superstar and captain, who sparked a national panic after he fractured his eye socket playing for Tottenham at the start of the month. He underwent surgery and hopes to play in a protective face mask.

“Everyone was devastated by the news but we tried to put a positive spin on it when we heard he would be joining the squad,” Kim says. “He is a pivotal player that has to be in the team no matter what.”

Kim Min-jae

Kim played with Son for South Korea’s under-23s at the Asian Games in August and September 2018 – Son was an overage wildcard – and much of the coverage that followed their gold medal win zeroed in on how the squad, and Son in particular, had secured an exemption from 21 months of military service. There was still a requirement for them to complete the basic four weeks’ soldier training.

“I will be joining the army next summer,” Kim says. “But now I’m doing some social contributions via Zoom. I give talks to young Korean footballers. I tell them how I felt at their age, how to get to where I am. I try to get my knowledge across as much as possible during a one-hour session. But most of the time it’s not enough so I do it two times for every player.”

Kim was tracked by a host of clubs in Europe after a stellar season with Beijing Guoan in 2019 and he eventually went to Fenerbahce in the summer of 2021. His Premier League suitors have included Spurs, Everton and Leicester. But everything felt right when Napoli called and the results so far have been spectacular. Title fever is brewing. Could Napoli be set to add to their triumphs of 1987 and 1990 when Diego Maradona was a deity in their colours?

“I’ve been told all about the Maradona story, how he brought the team to glory,” Kim says. “But what amazes me is how ‘Maradona 10’ shirts are still sold at the stadium and on every street corner. The fans are still wearing them. It just shows the levels of love and respect for him.”

World Cup 2022 team guides part 31: South Korea | South Korea

This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2022 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 20 November.

The plan

The Taeguk Warriors are the first country outside Europe and South America to reach 10 consecutive World Cup finals. In fact, there are only four other countries who have qualified for the past 10 tournaments and they are Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Spain.

South Korea are naturally happy to be in such an exalted company and were looking forward to showcasing their talent in Qatar but then, on 1 November, disaster struck. The one player who could not get injured, Son Heung-min, collided with Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba in Tottenham’s last Champions League group-stage match. The next day it was confirmed that the 30-year-old had a fractured eye socket.

Quick Guide

South Korea group fixtures

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v Uruguay Thu 24 Nov, 1pm Education City Stadium

v Ghana Mon 28 Nov, 1pm Education City Stadium

v Portugal Fri 2 Dec, 3pm Education City Stadium

All times GMT

Terrible news for the player, the country and the coach, Paulo Bento, who had worked on ways to get the most out of Son at the World Cup. Thankfully for South Korea Son has since declared himself fit so Bento will not have to rethink his whole system, which was a 4-1-4-1 during the qualifiers. It was a formation that worked well on the journey to Qatar, with the 2-0 win against Iran the highlight, but it proved insufficient in games against stronger nations such as Brazil, Mexico and even Japan. The group opponents in Qatar? Portugal, Uruguay and Ghana.

Son’s injury is not the only problem Bento has on his mind as the tournament approaches with several key players out of form, such as Hwang Hee-chan of Wolves, Hwang Ui-jo of Olympiakos and Kwon Chang-hoon of Gimcheon Sangmu. To be fair, they have been playing poorly for some time now and it may open the door for some of the squad’s younger players in Qatar.

The coach

The 53-year-old Portuguese Paulo Bento has already set a record when it comes to the South Korean national team, becoming the first coach to complete a full four-year cycle between two World Cups. In Qatar he comes up against his country of birth but is typically unfazed. “It is no different to any other game and certainly no issue,” he says. “I’ll prepare for this game very professionally.” Many fans are angry with him for not giving Mallorca’s in-form playmaker Lee Kang-in a chance – not a minute since the 3-0 away defeat by Japan in 2021 – but Bento is unlikely to change his mind because of that: he is quite a stubborn coach. For him the team and the system are more important than specific players.

Star player

South Korea held its breath when Son Heung-min had to come off in Tottenham’s Champions League game against Marseille at the start of this month. And their worst fears were pretty much confirmed the next day when it was revealed that the nation’s hero had fractured an eye socket. Son was always going to travel to Qatar but it remains to be seen if he can play a full part. South Korea’s captain was the joint top scorer in the Premier League with Mohamed Salah last season, and is considered one of the best strikers in the world and also one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time. Son is famous for his combination with Harry Kane at Tottenham. He ranked 11th in the Ballon d’Or 2022, which is the highest ever position attained by an Asian footballer. Son credits his father, a former footballer himself, for his achievements in the game. “I used to follow him to the pitch and watch him coach when I was a little kid,” he said in August. “He has done everything for me and without him I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

South Korea hope to see Son Heung-min’s goal celebration in Qatar, although his facial injury has been a huge national concern. — South Korea hope to see Son Heung-min’s goal celebration in Qatar but his facial injury has been a huge national concern. Photograph: Lee Jin-man/AP

Unsung hero

After the international retirement of Ki Sung-yueng, Jung Woo-young has often been described as the former Swansea and Newcastle midfielder’s heir. However, under Bento, Jung has been undervalued and criticised for his performances despite the fact that he does a good job in a very important role. Also, there is no alternative to him. Either way he is ready to flourish against players such as Federico Valverde, Thomas Partey and Bruno Fernandes at the World Cup. One advantage for the 32-year-old? He has been playing in Qatar with Al Sadd since 2018.

Probable lineup

Qatar stance

Unlike in some countries this has not been a topic in South Korea and has not been discussed by players or the media. The players are just focused on the football and whether Son will be fit enough to take part. In fact, it is rare for players to speak out on political issues in South Korea. One exception was Park Jong-woo, who held up a sign saying “Dokdo is our territory” after a win over Japan at the 2012 Olympics, referring to a set of islands claimed by both countries. He was not given his bronze medal because of the message.

National anthem

We call it Aegukga, which means the song of loving our nation. Initially, the Aegukga was sung to the tune of the Scottish folk song Auld Lang Syne but while studying abroad the Korean composer Ahn Eak-tai felt that a foreign melody was unfitting for Korea’s national anthem. So in 1935, he composed the Symphonic Fantasy Korea, the finale of which became the current music for the anthem. Whenever people sing Aegukga – which has been performed through good and bad times for almost a century now – they are reminded of the love that their forefathers held for the nation.

All-time cult hero

Lee Chun-soo was the youngest player who played all the matches for South Korea in their march to the semi-finals of the 2002 home World Cup. Kicking Paolo Maldini in the head during the last-16 game against Italy was only one of several incidents he was involved in, on and off the pitch. Very popular with the public, he played for Real Sociedad, Numancia and Feyenoord in Europe and was a mean free-kick taker. There is a famous YouTube clip of him kicking a football into a basketball hoop from 35 metres (OK, fifth attempt but still …). After his retirement he has become a YouTuber as well as the technical director of K League 1 club Incheon United.

Seo Hyung-wook writes for Footballist. Follow him here on Twitter.

World Cup 2022: complete guide to all 831 players | World Cup 2022

Jump to another team

Ecuador

Jump to another team

This is Ecuador’s fourth World Cup and there are hopes they will equal their best performance, reaching the last 16. Read the team guide here.

Star player
Moisés Caicedo

Strengths

Ecuador have a very young team and with that comes speed, energy and adrenaline, with several new talents hoping to make their mark.

Weaknesses

Goalscoring. La Tricolor do not concede a lot but on the other hand they don’t find the net that often themselves either.

Netherlands

United States

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Belgium

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There is the sense that this generation of players have peaked and that the bronze from four years ago is as good as it will get. Read the team guide here.

Star player
Kevin De Bruyne

Strengths

There is an abundance of talent in the squad and any team with Courtois and De Bruyne will be expected to go deep into the tournament.

Weaknesses

The defence is ageing and slow and the main goal threat, Lukaku, has been struggling with injuries this season.

Canada

Cameroon

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There is a lack of stars in Cameroon’s squad but that may not be a bad thing. Read the team guide here.

Star player
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa

Strengths

The squad has an impressive mental strength and the FA has worked hard to add players of dual nationality, such as Mbeumo.

Weaknesses

The coaching staff and players have only worked with each other for eight months and form has been patchy.

Serbia

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Every tournament is the same in Serbia: expectations that do not match the reality. However, there may be ground for optimism this time. Read the team guide here.

Star player
Dusan Vlahovic

Strengths

All the attacking players are on the rise and full of confidence. There are no egos and coach Stojkovic gives them freedom to play.

Weaknesses

The defence does not instil a lot of confidence in Serbian fans and one single mistake can lead to a full-blown collapse.

Switzerland

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Yakin has been able to build on Petkovic’s foundation and they stayed in the Nations League top group despite a poor start. Read the team guide here.

Strengths

The generation that won the Under-17 World Cup in 2009 are in their peak years and players such as Akanji and Embolo are in fine form.

Weaknesses

Three of the four goalkeepers have had injury problems and the decision to take only two recognised full-backs could backfire.

Ghana

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This is a young Black Stars team in transition. The quality is there but this World Cup could be either a spectacular failure or a rip-roaring success.

Star player
Mohammed Kudus

Strengths

Ghana outsmarted Nigeria in the play-off and have added players of dual nationality since then, especially in defence and on the wings, and look better for it.

Weaknesses

Where will the goals come from? That is the main question for coach Addo. If that is answered, Ghana could go far in Qatar.

Portugal

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s power is on the wane and Fernando Santos has lost some of the credit gained in 2016 but Portugal have never had a stronger squad.

Star player
Cristiano Ronaldo

Strengths

Portugal have excellent goalkeepers, some of the best full-backs in the world and quality solutions all over midfield. Oh, and firepower up front.

Weaknesses

Santos does not have an abundance of centre-backs and up front Ronaldo’s struggles and Jota’s injury have cast a cloud over the preparations.

Jump to another team

Things were looking good for manager Bento, until Son broke his eye socket. He could still play though.

Strengths

Bento’s 4-1-4-1 system worked well in qualifying with a 2-0 win against Iran the highlight.

Weaknesses

Son’s injury the major concern but several key players, such as the two Hwangs and Kwon, have been out of form.

Uruguay

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Uruguay are an unknown quantity but Diego Alonso has a good mix of youth and experience in the squad.

Star player
Federico Valverde

Strengths

Alonso has one of the best midfields at the tournament, led by Valverde, while Núñez, Suárez and Cavani are a threat up front.

Weaknesses

There are huge question marks about the defence with the fitness of Godín, Giménez and Araujo uncertain.

‘He has such a significant presence’: South Koreans sweat on Son’s fitness | South Korea

Just as the English public became wearily familiar with the bone structures of the foot with metatarsal injuries to David Beckham before the 2002 World Cup and Wayne Rooney four years later, South Korean fans are learning all about facial fractures and eye sockets. Diagrams, X-rays and reports of how long it took other players with similar injuries to return are the order of the day as Son Heung-min recovers from surgery after his head collided with the shoulder of Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba while in action for Tottenham in the Champions League last week.

Antonio Conte spoke for an entire nation on Sunday. “I hope for him he will recover very well and play in the World Cup,” the Spurs manager said. “I am confident, confident that he can come back quickly and play the World Cup for South Korea.”

The surgery seems to have gone well. “We’ve been informed by Tottenham that Son Heung-min had completed a successful procedure,” an official with the Korea Football Association (KFA) said. “But since the surgery just took place, it’s too early at this point to discuss his status for the World Cup. The national team’s medical staff has remained in contact with Tottenham regarding Son’s injury.”

So starts the saga that is set to drag on at least for some time yet but the uncertainty isn’t about whether Son will be in Qatar. “We fully expect Son will go,” a high-ranking KFA official told the Guardian. “We just have to see if he can play.” The 30-year-old is so important that his place is almost certainly assured regardless of his condition when the squad is named on Saturday or, indeed, for the first game, against Uruguay 12 days later, or Ghana and Portugal after that.

Son is singing from the same hymn sheet. “Playing for your country at the World Cup is the dream of so many children growing up, just as it was one of mine too,” he wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. “I won’t miss this for the world. I can’t wait to represent our beautiful country.”

Son Heung-min is escorted from the pitch after sustaining a fractured eye socket against Marseille. Photograph: Daniel Cole/AP

“I think the national team should not be without Heung-min,” said Ki Sung-yeung, who played with Son at the past two World Cups. “Heung-min’s name just by itself can put pressure on opponents.” Ki, who played for Celtic, Swansea and Sunderland, has spoken to Son and reported back. “He is ready to try even while wearing a mask.”

Just the possibility of the Premier League Golden Boot joint-winner coming off the bench late in games against tiring opposition would make a difference to Korea and, perhaps, their opponents. And even if that fails Qatar still beckons. It helps that coaches can select 26 players instead of the usual 23, meaning there is room for a special passenger. “He has such a significant presence on the national team, and there should be ways he can help the team as a reserve,” the well-known television commentator and columnist Park Moon-sung said. “He can also be a cheerleader on the bench for some younger guys.”

If it comes to that, so be it. Son is not only the star but popular and respected in the team. The coach, Paulo Bento, already in a pre-tournament training camp with South Korea’s non-Europe-based players, has been photographed looking suitably serious and contemplative. There are questions as to what plan B will look like, a recognition that Korea’s attacking strategy has relied on the Spurs man. Bento, whose last game as a Portugal player came against South Korea at the 2002 World Cup and who will be hoping that his last game as a Korea coach does not come against Portugal in the 2022 tournament, has selected the team’s only world-class player, talisman, attacking fulcrum and an increasingly deadly free-kick expert at every opportunity.

The problem is that Son is needed more than ever because other attackers are not exactly firing. His friend and fellow Chuncheon-born forward Hwang Hee-chan has struggled with Wolves after a good start when joining in August 2021. “The Bull” doesn’t play so much these days and has scored once in the past 12 months. Hwang Ui-jo got an impressive 11 goals last season as Bordeaux were relegated and then joined Nottingham Forest. On loan to Olympiakos, the 30-year-old also has played little this season and scored even less.

No pressure, then, on Son, but it was ever thus. The burdens of playing for his country look to have weighed heavily at times. The relatively poor start to the season was not going to change anything for South Korea. In the past, blistering club form has not always translated into something similar for his country, so an under-the-weather Son was not necessarily a major issue. It goes without saying that an injured Son is different however.

Hwang Hee-chan pictured in action for Wolves against Brighton — Hwang Hee-chan, pictured in action against Brighton, has struggled for Wolves recently. Photograph: Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty Images

Perhaps it is all setting up for a moment to treasure. Son has yet to really have that magical moment in his national team colours, one that everyone will remember, and lead them to the knockout stages. His past two World Cup appearances are not memorable. Brazil 2014 was a huge disappointment, at a team level at least, and the 2-0 win over Germany in Russia failed to cover the cracks of a disappointing campaign.

It may well be that after poor form, injury and surgery the stage will be set in Qatar, ready for Son to return just in time to deliver glory. If not, at least a lot more people will have learned about the complex bone structures of the face.

Qatar: beyond the football

Qatar: beyond the football

Qatar: beyond the football

Qatar: beyond the football

Qatar: beyond the football

Qatar: beyond the football

Qatar: beyond the football

The plan

South Korea group fixtures

The coach

Star player

Unsung hero

Probable lineup

Qatar stance

National anthem

All-time cult hero

Ecuador

Strengths

Weaknesses

Netherlands

Strengths

Weaknesses

Qatar

Strengths

Weaknesses

Senegal

Strengths

Weaknesses

England

Strengths

Weaknesses

Iran

Strengths

Weaknesses

United States

Strengths

Weaknesses

Wales

Strengths

Weaknesses

Argentina

Strengths

Weaknesses

Mexico

Strengths

Weaknesses

Poland

Strengths

Weaknesses

Saudi Arabia

Strengths

Weaknesses

Australia

Strengths

Weaknesses

Denmark

Strengths

Weaknesses

France

Strengths

Weaknesses

Tunisia

Strengths

Weaknesses

Costa Rica

Strengths

Weaknesses

Germany

Strengths

Weaknesses

Japan

Strengths

Weaknesses

Spain

Strengths

Weaknesses

Belgium

Strengths

Weaknesses

Canada