South Korea's Hwang healthy, if not match fit, ahead of World Cup
- The 29-year-old, who has played 71 times for his country, was selected in Hong Myung-bo's 26-man squad earlier this month despite having been sidelined since March with an ankle injury
South Korea midfielder Hwang In-beom says there should be no concern about his fitness for the World Cup even if he needs to improve his match sharpness in pre-tournament friendlies against Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador.
The 29-year-old, who has played 71 times for his country, was selected in Hong Myung-bo’s 26-man squad earlier this month despite having been sidelined since March with an ankle injury.
“I can jump into training with the rest of the squad right away. There’s no need for concern,” Hwang told the Yonhap News Agency at the team’s training camp in Utah.
“I can feel my movements have been getting smoother with each passing week,” he added. “But I still have to get my match sharpness back, and it’s something I have to do by playing.”
Hwang, who plays club football for Dutch side Feyenoord, is an energetic box-to-box midfielder whose ability to play off both feet has helped make him an integral part of the South Korea side.
Some pundits have suggested his absence because of injury was partly responsible for a 4-0 loss to Ivory Coast and 1-0 loss to Austria in friendlies this year.
“I don’t think we played poorly just because I wasn’t there,” Hwang said. “We have players that can always step in for people who aren’t available. Those still would 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-times champions Brazil.
At this year’s expanded 48-team tournament, the Taegeuk Warriors will face co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and the Czech Republic in the opening-round group stage.
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“If we can all come together like we did the last time, I think we can bring joy to so many people back 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 play 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.