South Korean midfielder Hwang In-beom says there is no need to worry about his fitness for the World Cup even as he needs to improve his match sharpness in the pre-tournament friendlies against Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador.
The 29-year-old, who has made 71 appearances for his country, was selected in Hong Myung-bo’s 26-man squad earlier this month despite being sidelined since March with an ankle injury.
«I can start training with the rest of the team right away. There is no reason to worry,» Hwang told Yonhap News Agency at the team’s training camp in Utah.
“I feel my movements are getting smoother every week,” he added. “But I still have to get my competitive sharpness back and I have to do that by playing.”
Hwang, who plays club football for Dutch side Feyenoord, is an energetic box-to-box midfielder whose ability to play with both feet has made him an integral part of the South Korean squad.
Some pundits have suggested that his absence due to injury was partly responsible for a 0-4 defeat to Ivory Coast and a 0-1 defeat to Austria in friendlies this year.
“I don’t think we played bad just because I wasn’t there,” Hwang said. «We have players who can always fill in for people who are not available. Those would still have been difficult matches even if I had been there.»
Hwang started every match in Qatar four years ago as South Korea stunned Portugal to reach the round of 16 before losing to five-time champions Brazil.
This year’s expanded 48-team tournament will see the Taegeuk Warriors face off against co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and the Czech Republic in the opening round group stage.
“If we can all come together like last time, I think we can bring joy to so many people at home,” Hwang said.
«We have so many talented players here. And to make the most of our abilities, we have to put the team first and make sacrifices.»
South Korea plays Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday and El Salvador four days later, both in Utah, before opening their World Cup campaign against the Czechs in Guadalajara on June 11.
Published on May 26, 2026
