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Korean team aims for success at FIFA U-20 World Cup

Published: 25 Sep. 2025, 10:54 Updated: 25 Sep. 2025, 20:18

The U-20 Korean national team trains at Gimhae Sports Complex in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang in August. [KFA]

The 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup kicks off on Saturday in Chile, offering a next generation of Korean players a stage to impress European scouts.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup has served as a springboard for players such as Diego Maradona and Erling Haaland. Lee Kang-in also led Korea to a runner-up finish in 2019 in Poland and won the Golden Ball.

This year’s tournament runs through Oct. 20 in Chile. A total of 24 countries will compete in six groups of four. Seeded as a top team thanks to recent results, Korea drew Group B and will face Ukraine on Saturday, Paraguay on Tuesaday and Panama on Oct. 3. All three matches will take place at Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander in Valparaíso.

As FIFA youth tournaments do not require clubs to release their players, many top prospects, including Spain’s Lamine Yamal, will not play.

Korea also misses several Europe-based players such as Park Seung-soo of Newcastle United, Yang Min-hyeok of Portsmouth and Yoon Do-young of Excelsior Rotterdam.

Two Europe-based players are still in the squad, with Kim Tae-won of Portimonense and Kim Myung-jun of KRC Genk.

FIFA also highlighted Kim Tae-won, the Korea captain, who scored four goals at the AFC U-20 Asian Cup earlier this year. Kim Myung-jun, a replacement for the injured Kim Jun-ha of Jeju SK, is known for his work rate and team play.

Past U-20 World Cup standouts moved abroad after the tournament, including Bae Jun-ho, who moved to Stoke City after the country's semifinal run in 2023.

For defender Shin Min-ha of Gangwon FC, the tournament offers a chance to impress European scouts. Kim Hyun-ho of Daejeon Hana Citizen, who became the club’s youngest scorer this year, will compete alongside the 2005–06-born core.

The squad left Korea on Sept. 8 and played three tuneups in Chile: a 2-1 loss to the Chile U-20 team, a 0-0 draw with Chilean club Unión La Calera and a 1-0 win over New Zealand’s U-20s.

The U-20 Korean national team poses for a photo at Incheon International Airport on Sept. 8. [YONHAP]

Ukraine, Korea’s first opponent, feature Kristian Shevchenko of Watford, the 18-year-old son of former striker Andriy Shevchenko. The match gives Korea a chance to avenge its 3-1 loss to Ukraine in the 2019 U-20 World Cup final.

"Korea’s 2023 squad under coach Kim Eun-jung reached the semifinals even though many said the team was weak," commentator Kim Dong-wan said. "Manager Lee Chang-won also may not have the strongest roster, but I expect compact defense and organized attacks."

Korea has yet to win the U-20 World Cup, with the 2019 runner-up finish remaining as the country's best result. Reaching the semifinal in the U-20 World Cup this year would mark Korea's third successive time doing.

The young Taeguk Warriors reached the final in 2019 and finished fourth in 2023. The 2021 edition did not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year's tournament features a host of former champions, including Argentina, which has six U-20 World Cup titles, and five-time winners Brazil.

Korea has joined this year's edition as one of the four Asian representations alongside age-old rivals Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK RIN [[email protected]]