2 publishers · first seen Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:48 UTC · updated Thu, 29 Oct 2026 14:52 UTC
Robert Moreno, temporary head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, announced a 26-man squad for upcoming friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Qatar in November, including Kim Min-jae, Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang In-beom and Son Heung-min. The announcement came amid reports that the '1996 group'—Kim Min-jae, Hwang Hee-chan and Hwang In-beom—had expressed a desire to retire from international football after a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan on Oct. 6, due to dissatisfaction with captain Son Heung-min.
Moreno stated that all four players were selected based on performance and readiness to contribute, emphasizing that internal matters should be resolved within the team. He stressed the importance of focusing on controllables, such as effort and play, and declined to disclose private conversations, citing player privacy. The Korea Football Association has not yet named a permanent coach, and Moreno's contract runs until Nov. 27.
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