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Castrop gets Taeguk Warriors call-up for Brazil, Paraguay friendlies

Published: 29 Sep. 2025, 19:25

Jens Castrop of Korea dribbles the ball against the United States during the teams' friendly match at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, on Sept. 6. [YONHAP]

Jens Castrop, the German-born midfielder of Korean descent, is back on the Korean men's national football team for a pair of friendly matches scheduled for October.

Manager Hong Myung-bo called up the 22-year-old as part of his 26-man squad on Monday. The Taeguk Warriors, ranked 23rd in the world, will host sixth-ranked Brazil on Oct. 10 and 37th-ranked Paraguay on Oct. 14, both at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul.

Castrop, who plays for Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, made his Korea debut on Sept. 6 off the bench against the United States in New Jersey and then earned his first start against Mexico three days later in Tennessee. He became the first foreign-born player of mixed heritage to play for Korea.

He now appears poised for his first appearance on Korean soil next month, with veteran holding midfielder Park Yong-woo, who started alongside Castrop against Mexico, sidelined with a knee injury.

Castrop also scored his first Bundesliga goal as an attacking midfielder over the weekend, and Hong said he will try to find ways to capitalize on Castrop's versatility.

"His ability to play multiple positions can really help our team," the manager said. "I think he can handle whatever role we ask him to play. We will consider him for a place in the midfield, but we will talk to him about possibly playing elsewhere."

Hong lamented Park's injury, which he picked up while playing for the United Arab Emirates club Al Ain last week. He reportedly suffered a torn ligament that could also rule him out for next summer's World Cup.

"He has been such a valuable part of the national team, and it's really unfortunate that he has sustained such a serious injury," Hong said. "I wish him a fast recovery. Injuries can happen to anyone as we prepare for the World Cup and we have to stay prepared for these contingencies."

Asked how he will fill Park's void, Hong admitted it is "difficult" to find a player who can bring the kind of defensive awareness that Park offers.

"We can either try to address his absence in the form of a different player or we can also make some tactical adjustments," the coach added. "Once our midfielders arrive at camp, we will have some discussions about their roles and positions."

Captain Son Heung-min will join the national team on a torrid scoring run, with seven goals in his past four matches for Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC).

"He has won a scoring title in the best league in the world. There's no doubt about his ability to score goals," Hong said of the 2021-2022 Premier League Golden Boot winner. "I've been watching him play all along and he has been in great form. It's a huge boost for us."

Son is scheduled to arrive in Korea early Tuesday after playing LAFC's home match against Atlanta United on Sunday.

Among other names, Kim Ji-soo, a defender for 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the second-tier German league, earned his first call-up since the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in January 2024. Kim, 20, is on loan from the Premier League outfit Brentford. He will be one of 11 defenders for Hong.

Yonhap