Opinion
Although Australia and Japan were the two AFC nations heavily praised for their incredible performances at the World Cup, there was another Asian team that did as well but has flown under the radar.
No, it’s not Saudi Arabia – although they beat eventual tournament winners Argentina, they finished bottom of their group after losing to Poland and Mexico.
The team I’m talking about is none other than the Taeguk Warriors – South Korea.
South Korea qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup, beating Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to do so. They also impressed by holding Uruguay to a 0-0 draw.
South Korea has been investing heavily in youth football over the last few years, and it is clear that their investment is paying off, as they have stunned some traditional powerhouses over the last two World Cups. Furthermore, they reached the semi-final of the U20 World Cup this year – another impressive accomplishment.
South Korea has arguably the most superstars out of any country in the Asian Football Confederation.
Son-Heung-min is among the top players in the Premier League and won the Golden Boot last year.
(Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
Kim Min-jae led Napoli to a Scudetto and was voted the best defender in Serie A.
Kim Seung-gyu is arguably the best goalkeeper in Asia.
Kim Ji-soo is an 18-year-old who is about to sign for Brentford in the Premier League, and Lee Kang is a creative attacker whose pace has been difficult to handle for many La Liga sides.
Cho Gue-sung broke out in the World Cup, scoring two goals against Ghana, and is nearing a move to England. Hwang Hee-chan is a Wolves attacking midfielder who regularly impresses.
The quality of this team on paper is incredible.
Compared to his predecessor Paulo Bento, Jurgen Klinsmann likes to take a more attacking, and dynamic approach to the game, liking to build up from the back. This approach will allow talented attackers like Son, Cho Gue-sung, and Lee Kang In to reach their full potential.
Furthermore, Kim Min-jae is excellent at building up from the back so Klinsmann’s style suits his strength. Additionally, his experience having achieved good results at the World Cup with both Germany and the United States in the past will only serve to help the team.
If you’re looking to bet on a dark horse that has a good chance to win the Asian Cup, putting your money on South Korea would be a smart decision.
Their path to the Asian Cup final is very manageable. Based on the draw and if the favourites in the tournament perform as expected in the group stages (South Korea will likely top their group), they are likely to play Vietnam in the round of 16, Iran in the quarter-finals, Qatar/Uzbekistan in the semi-finals, and probably Japan/Australia/Saudi Arabia in the Final.
I would give South Korea an above-average chance of winning each of these games except the Final. They’re a level above Vietnam, who have been struggling after their previous manager just left, Iran is a nation in political turmoil that had a disappointing tournament, and the quality of Qatari football has declined a lot since they won the last Asian Cup.
Uzbekistan could be a tricky opponent, given they are defensively solid and boast the likes of Eldor Shomurodov and Jaloliddin Masharipov in attack, but I expect South Korea with all their stars to edge past them. The final will be a tricky game but they have a real chance of winning the tournament.
Looking past the Asian Cup, it’s hard to say that the future of South Korean football isn’t bright.
Whether they will become a dominant force in Asian football remains to be seen, however. The South Korean teams of the recent past were good but had trouble toppling the best sides in Asian football at that time.
Although this is one of the most talented South Korean teams in years and their investment in youth football seems to be paying off, expect Australia and Japan to put up a serious fight before South Korea are seen as the kings of Asia.
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