In preparation for the decisive match against Iraq in the ninth round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, the head coach of the South Korean national team, Hong Myung-bo, revealed his official list that will participate in the last two stages of the qualifiers, starting with the anticipated match on June 5 at the Basra International Stadium.

The Korean list included several surprises, most notably the absence of important names playing in European leagues, led by Kim Min-jae, the Bayern Munich defender, who was excluded due to lack of physical readiness, which is a painful blow to the defense, especially against a team that has effective attacking weapons. The trio from the English Premier League: John Ho (Stoke City), Um Ji-sung (Swansea City), and Yang Min-hyuk (Queens Park Rangers) also missed out, with varying reasons for their absence ranging from injuries to tactical decisions.

Despite these absences, the Korean team called up a group of new faces, led by Jeon Jin-woo, a player from Jeonbuk Hyundai, who is making his debut with the senior national team after impressive performances in the domestic league, in addition to the return of Kim Jin-kyu after a three-year absence.

Interestingly, the list also excluded the name of Joo Min-kyu, the second top scorer in the Korean league this season with 9 goals, behind Jeon Jin-woo who has 10 goals, which raised several questions, especially since the player is at the peak of his technical performance. However, the coaching staff preferred players with higher speed and greater tactical harmony, according to their vision.

On the other hand, the Korean coach confirmed in media statements that facing Iraq requires players who possess speed in movement and transition to exploit what he described as "weak points" in Iraq's defensive performance, pointing out that he relied on a mix of experience and youth through names like Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Oh Hyun-kyu, and Oh Se-hun.

He also indicated potential changes in the midfield, where he may give opportunities to Park Jin-sub and Kim Jin-kyu, alongside the continuity of Hwang In-beom and Park Young-woo, given the need for defensive and offensive balance during the match.

The Korean team enters the match leading Group B with 16 points, and if they draw against Iraq, they will officially secure a ticket to the World Cup for the eleventh consecutive time. However, the team is experiencing a state of anxiety after three consecutive draws against Palestine, Jordan, and Oman, which halted their attacking momentum in previous rounds.

The match represents a crossroads for both teams. Iraq aims to secure three points to remain in the competition for direct qualification without entering into complicated calculations, while Korea seeks to secure qualification early before facing Kuwait in the final round in Seoul.

All eyes will turn to Basra… where Iraq's ambition meets Korea's heritage, on a night that could write one of the most important chapters of the Asian qualifiers.