Robert Moreno, the newly appointed interim coach of the South Korean national soccer team, announced plans to adopt a 4-4-2 formation based on the most commonly used system in the K League as the team prepares for four international matches in September and October.
During a press conference on September 14 at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, Moreno stated, "I started my work by analyzing data from over 1,700 South Korean players. The selection criteria for the national team are based on performance, not names. I chose players considering the playing style and characteristics that best suit South Korean soccer."
He added, "We want players who are balanced, excelling in both attack and defense. There should be a strong desire to connect with the national team. That is what we want."
Faced with the challenge of implementing tactics in a short time, Moreno has chosen the 4-4-2 formation. He emphasized, "I will prepare for the matches based on the 4-4-2 system, which has been the most used in the K League over the past two years. My role is to clearly define positional responsibilities and improve weaknesses to find the optimal way to utilize the players."
Moreno also assessed the strengths and weaknesses of South Korean players during his analysis. He noted, "The ability to play with the ball and in attacking areas was very impressive, showing clear potential. However, there is a tendency to wait for the opponent's attack rather than applying active pressure in defensive situations, which needs improvement."
The 30-player roster announced includes a balance of key overseas players and those active in the K League. Notable names include captain Son Heung-min (LAFC), Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke 04). European-based forwards such as Oh Hyun-kyu (Beşiktaş), Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland), and Song Min-kyu (Nacional) are also included.
Moreno described Son Heung-min as "a versatile player who can play in multiple positions."
Among the 30 players selected, 12 are from the K League. Jeong Seung-won (FC Seoul), who has scored eight goals and provided six assists this season, returns to the national team after about 14 months. Alongside Jeong, goalkeeper Ko Seung-yun and defender Choi Jun also made the roster from FC Seoul.
Three newcomers celebrated their first call-up to the senior national team: midfielder Kim Min-soo (Rangers), born in 2006, midfielder Park Tae-jun (Gimcheon Sangmu), and defender Kim Geon-hee (Incheon United).
Moreno stated, "I will check if these players, who have very clear positions, can show their performance at the national team level."
However, Lee Seung-woo (Jeonbuk Hyundai) was excluded from the roster. Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), and Lee Gi-hyuk (Gangwon FC) are absent due to their call-up for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya. Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach) was ruled out due to injury.
Moreno pledged to help South Korean soccer rebound from the disappointment of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He shared a story about his 10-year-old son, who injured his ankle, saying, "I told him, 'If you fall, get back up, focus on today, and take one step at a time.' I will show the fans that we can rise again with the national team players, carrying their hopes with us."
Moreno will temporarily lead the national team for a total of six international matches, including these four games and two more in November. His contract includes a provision for extension until the AFC Asian Cup in January 2027 in Saudi Arabia, based on the performance and evaluation results from these six matches.
Moreno's team will face Ecuador on September 24 at Suwon World Cup Stadium and Uruguay on September 28 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. They will then take on Venezuela on October 2 at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium and Uzbekistan on October 6 at Yongin Mir Stadium. Two additional international matches are also scheduled for November.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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