As the lone South Korean club at this year's FIFA Club World Cup, Ulsan HD FC will try to make a push for a knockout berth, their head coach said Thursday.
Kim Pan-gon and his captain Kim Young-gwon attended the South Korean stop of the Club World Cup Trophy Tour in Seongnam, just south of Seoul.
The 2025 Club World Cup, the first edition with an expanded format featuring 32 teams, will be played across the United States from June 14 to July 13. FIFA launched the trophy tour in January in New York City, and the tour will have stops in 29 cities in 20 nations over 140 days.
Ulsan, three-time defending K League 1 champions, will be one of four clubs from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the lone South Korean side. They secured their spot by finishing second in the AFC club ranking points.
In the group stage, they will face Mamelodi Sundowns FC of South Africa on June 17 in Orlando, Florida; Fluminense FC of Brazil on June 21 in East Rutherford, New Jersey; and Borussia Dortmund of Germany on June 25 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The top two teams from eight groups will qualify for the round of 16. Kim Pan-gon said it will take at least four points -- a win and a draw -- to contend for a knockout ticket.
"We'll try to get to the round of 16. If all goes well, we could even finish with a win and two draws," the coach said at Naver 1784, the headquarters for the South Korean internet portal giant Naver. "Realistically, we'll have to narrow the gap with Dortmund and Fluminense. I think they're going to be really tough. And I am also looking forward to playing Sundowns."
Since the Club World Cup is taking place in the middle of the K League 1 season, but after the end of European seasons, Kim said the schedule could work in Ulsan's favor.
"I think our players will be sharper, and conditioning won't be an issue for us," Kim added. "We will try to capitalize on that advantage as much as possible."
The coach also said it was important for his team to "make our fans feel proud when they watch us play."
"I am trying to think of the ways that help us dominate and control matches against great opponents," Kim added.
Kim Young-gwon, Ulsan's captain and center back, will be competing in his third Club World Cup, having appeared at the 2013 and 2015 tournaments as a member of Guangzhou Evergrande.
"I am excited to play in the new format. And I think we can be competitive in this tournament," he said. "I want to show the world how strong a K League championship team can be. This will be a great opportunity for the entire team to grow."
As for the trophy itself, Kim said, "This is a good-looking trophy. It'd be great to attend the championship press conference. I'll try to get as close to the trophy as possible."
The trophy will travel to Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, for a public viewing on Sunday, before Ulsan HD FC host Jeju SK FC. (Yonhap)
