S. Korea coach predicts 'most difficult training camp' ahead of June World Cup tuneups

In normal times, it would be difficult enough for South Korea to take on Brazil, world No. 1 in men's football and a team that the Taeguk Warriors haven't beaten in more than two decades. But these aren't normal times for head coach Paulo Bento and his 20th-ranked South Korea. The team will be missing a few mainstays to injuries, including sturdy center back Kim Min-jae and playmaking midfielder Lee Jae-sung. With South Korea set to host Brazil on June 2 as the first of four frien

May 23, 2022

Coach sticks to familiar faces for World Cup tuneups amid injuries

South Korea will mostly roll with familiar names as they host four friendly matches next month in preparation for this year's FIFA World Cup. Head coach Paulo Bento unveiled a 28-man roster for the men's national team Monday ahead of June matches. They will host Brazil on June 2, Chile on June 6 and Paraguay on June 10. South Korea are also set to play on June 14, likely against an African opponent. The Korea Football Association had tried to schedule a match against Argentina, but tho

May 23, 2022

With historic Golden Boot, Son Heung-min cements case as greatest S. Korean footballer ever

This is no longer a controversial thing to say, and it really shouldn't have been for some time now: Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur may just be the GOAT in South Korean football history, as in, the greatest of all time. The 29-year-old further cemented his case by becoming the first Asian player to win the Golden Boot in Premier League history. Son grabbed a brace in a 5-0 victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road in Norwich, England, on Sunday (local time), finishing the season with 23

May 23, 2022

Son Heung-min becomes 1st Asian scoring champion in Premier League history

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean attacker Son Heung-min has become the first Asian player to win the scoring title in the Premier League, the latest piece of history for a player who has made a career out of setting records and milestones. Son scored twice in Tottenham's 5-0 rout of Norwich City at Carrow Road in Norwich, England, on Sunday (local time), and finished the 2021-2022 season with a career-high 23 goals. Son shared the Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, who scored

May 23, 2022

K League 1 champions Jeonbuk looking to extend undefeated run vs. pesky underdogs

A quick glance at the K League 1 tables will show Ulsan Hyundai FC leading the pack by eight points after 13 matches. That lead seems comfortable enough, but Ulsan players are probably hearing the footsteps of five-time defending champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who have climbed into third place with 22 points, on the strength of an eight-match undefeated run. Jeonbuk will look to close that gap further on the weekend, while Ulsan, runners-up to Jeonbuk in each of the past three seasons, will t

May 20, 2022

Son Heung-min chasing Premier League Golden Boot in season finale

Throughout his Premier League career with Tottenham Hotspur that began in 2015, South Korean star Son Heung-min has been breaking records and setting milestones. Son will have a chance to make more history when the Premier League draws to a conclusion on the weekend, as he will try to become the first Asian-born player to lead the league in goals. With one match left this season against Norwich City on Sunday afternoon in Norwich, England, Son is in second place in the Golden Boot race with 21 g

May 20, 2022

K League's bottom feeders set for crucial showdown

The two worst clubs in South Korean football this year will collide for their second meeting of the season this weekend, as they both desperately seek to move out of the relegation zone. Suwon Samsung Bluewings will host Seongnam FC at 7 p.m. Saturday at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. Seongnam are bringing up the rear in the K League 1 this year, stuck in 12th place with five points through 11 matches. They also have the league's worst goal differential with -15,

May 13, 2022

Tottenham's Son Heung-min nets 21st goal in derby win over Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has scored in his third consecutive match, helping his club to a crucial late-season victory while moving within a goal of the Premier League lead in the process. Son scored in the 47th minute in Tottenham's 3-0 victory over Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Thursday (local time). The South Korean star also set up a first-half penalty, converted by Harry Kane, after Cedric Soares fouled him in the area. Son now has a new career-high 21 goals in t

May 13, 2022

K League middle class gets crowded as Ulsan open up large lead at top

With less than a third of the K League 1 season in the books, it may be too early to say Ulsan Hyundai FC will run away with the title and everyone else will be playing for second place. It just seems that way, though. Ulsan bounced back from their first loss of the season Thursday by beating Gangwon FC 3-1 on Sunday. At 26 points, they have opened up a seven-point cushion on three clubs directly below them. Pohang Steelers climbed to second place by edging out Seongnam FC 1-0 on Sunday. Jeju Un

May 9, 2022

Tottenham's Son Heung-min scores Premier League career-high 20th goal

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min has reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time in a Premier League season. Son scored the milestone goal in a 1-1 draw against league-leading Liverpool at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on Saturday (local time). With 20 goals in Premier League play, Son is now two back of Liverpool sensation Mohamed Salah in the Golden Boot race. No Asian player has won a scoring title in the top English competition. Tottenham and Liverpool will each play t

May 8, 2022

K League-leading Ulsan looking to pick up pieces as season resumes

Despite being at the top of the tables, Ulsan Hyundai FC will return to K League action this week licking their wounds. The K League 1 campaign will resume for all 12 teams on Thursday, the Children's Day holiday, after nearly a monthlong spring break. The league pressed pause while Ulsan and two other clubs, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Daegu FC, played in the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League. Jeonbuk and Daegu qualified for the round of 16, but Ulsan, t

May 4, 2022

K League to play with official World Cup ball starting this week

The operator of the South Korean professional football competition announced Monday the official FIFA World Cup ball will be put in play starting this week.    The Korea Professional Football League (K League) said "Al Rihla," the match ball for this year's World Cup in Qatar, will be featured here, beginning with matches on Thursday. It is also the Children's Day holiday.    Following a spring break during the group stage for the Asian Football Confederation (AF

May 2, 2022

2 out of 4 K League clubs reach AFC Champions League knockouts

And then there were two. Two out of four South Korean teams have reached the knockout stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, the top annual club tournament in the region. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Daegu FC are in, while Ulsan Hyundai FC and Jeonnam Dragons have been sent packing. Jeonbuk became the first to do so by beating Sydney FC 3-2 last Thursday in their penultimate Group H match in Ho Chi Minh City. They closed out the preliminary phase with a 1-1 draw against

May 2, 2022

Tottenham's Son Heung-min nets milestone goals in key victory

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has scored his way into South Korean football record books. Son grabbed a brace in Tottenham's 3-1 victory over Leicester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday (local time). Son now has a career-high 19 goals for this Premier League season, and he also owns the record for most goals by a South Korean player in a season in a European league. Former Leverkusen hero Cha Bum-kun had held the mark with 17 goals from the 1985-1986 season. In all compet

May 2, 2022

With one team in, 3 more from S. Korea trying to reach AFC Champions League knockouts

With one match remaining in the group stage, only one of the four South Korean teams in action has locked down a spot in the knockout phase of the top Asian club football competition. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Ulsan Hyundai FC, and Daegu FC of the K League 1 and Jeonnam Dragons of the K League 2 are playing in this year's Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League. Through Thursday, they have all played five out of six group matches in centralized venues -- an arrangement put in place to

April 29, 2022

K League-leading Ulsan among 4 S. Korean clubs chasing Asian title

The South Korean football leaders Ulsan Hyundai FC will be among four teams from the country to begin their pursuit of the Asian club title this week, with six matches on the horizon over the next two weeks. The group stage at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League for the East Region, covering teams from South Korea, Japan, China, Australia and Thailand, among others, will kick off Friday. The preliminary action for the West Region, which includes clubs from the likes of Qatar,

April 14, 2022

Tottenham Hotspur to visit Seoul for exhibition match on July 13

Tottenham Hotspur will face a South Korean league All-Star team in an exhibition match in Seoul on July 13, the domestic league office announced Thursday. The Korea Professional Football League (K League) said Seoul World Cup Stadium will host the match between the Premier League club and "Team K League." Tottenham have built a strong fan base here thanks to the exploits of their South Korean star, Son Heung-min. The national team captain leads the North London club with 17 goals this

April 14, 2022

Tottenham's Son Heung-min scores 2nd Premier League hat trick

Son Heung-min scored his second career hat trick in the Premier League, helping Tottenham Hotspur tighten their grip on fourth place in the tables. Son is now up to 17 goals for the season after netting three past Aston Villa in Tottenham's 4-0 rout at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on Saturday (local time). The South Korean star sits alone in second place in goals, three back of Mohamed Salah of Liverpool. Son has also matched his Premier League single-season career high in goals. He had al

April 10, 2022

Son Heung-min nets 14th goal of season, lifts Tottenham to 4th place in Premier League

With a goal and an assist Son Heung-min has pushed Tottenham Hotspur into fourth place in the Premier League tables. Tottenham routed Newcastle United 5-1 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday (local time), erasing a 1-0 deficit with five unanswered goals. Son assisted on Ben Davies' equalizer in the 43rd minute and then scored one for himself in the 54th minute. The goal was Son's 14th of the season, as the South Korean star stayed tied with Diogo Jota of Liverpool for second place i

April 4, 2022

S. Korea to face Portugal, Uruguay, Ghana at FIFA World Cup

South Korea will take on Portugal, Uruguay and Ghana in the group stage of this year's FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The draw for the Nov. 21-Dec. 18 tournament took place Friday at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, the capital city of the host country, Qatar. South Korea, competing in their 10th consecutive World Cup and 11th overall, ended up in Group H. South Korea, ranked 29th in the world, will open the tournament against No. 13 Uruguay at 4 p.m. on Nov. 24 at Education City

April 2, 2022