Hong Myung-bo Selects Son, Lee, Jens for Ivory Coast Matchup
The South Korea men’s national team will play Ivory Coast in a friendly at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, England. The match kicks off at 11 p.m. KST on March 28.
The Korea Football Association released squad numbers for the March A-match window. The allocations will also apply for the follow-up friendly against Austria on April 1.
Hong Myung-bo Selects Son, Lee, Jens for Ivory Coast Matchup was a headline after the number announcement. The phrase reflects the high-profile selections and expectations.
Squad numbers and key players
- Son Heung-min remains captain and keeps the No. 7 shirt.
- Forwards: Oh Hyun-kyu wears No. 18, Cho Kyu-sung takes No. 9.
- Midfield cores: Lee Kang-in keeps No. 19, Lee Jae-sung stays No. 10.
- Kim Jin-kyu was assigned No. 24, replacing injured Hwang In-beom.
- Hong Hyun-seok returns to the squad and will wear No. 5.
- Yang Hyun-joon wears No. 20 and Kwon Hyuk-kyu takes No. 25.
- Defender Kim Min-jae retains the No. 4 shirt.
- Jens Castrov, listed as a defender and likely wingback, wears No. 23.
- Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu No. 1, Cho Hyun-woo No. 21, Song Bum-keun No. 12.
Why the friendly matters
The Ivory Coast match is described as a final rehearsal before the World Cup. South Korea will face South Africa in Group A at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Opposition profile
Ivory Coast sit 37th in the FIFA rankings while South Korea are 22nd. The West African side fields many European league regulars.
- Notable players include Ahmad Diallo of Manchester United.
- Nicolas Pépé is listed with Villarreal and Odilon Kossounou with Atalanta.
- The Ivorian defense collected 25 points in 10 African qualifying matches.
Match logistics
The friendly takes place at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, England. Kickoff is 11 p.m. Korean Standard Time on March 28.
The Korea Football Association confirmed that the same squad numbers will be used for the April 1 friendly in Austria. Fans and media can follow updates through Filmogaz.com.
