Jürgen Klinsmann has all eyes on the Asian Cup final.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Jürgen Klinsmann, called up its players on Wednesday afternoon for the second round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup North America. Klinsmann’s men will face Singapore at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 16 before traveling to China to take on the Chinese national team on Nov. 21.
This November A-match period is crucial for Klinsmann and his players. In fact, it is the last A-match period before the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in Qatar.
Of course, there will be one or two friendlies before the Asian Cup. However, it’s virtually impossible to play a full squad due to international call-ups, so this November’s A-match is the last time the squad will be together.
Klinsmann has been aiming to win the Asian Cup since his appointment. “Korea is a good team that has beaten Portugal and Germany at the World Cup,” Klinsmann said at his introductory press conference when he was named head coach of the South Korean national soccer team in March. The goal is to win the Asian Cup.”
The goal hasn’t changed. At a media conference on the 13th, Klinsmann said, “You will expect a strong Asian Cup performance. The goal is clear. It’s to win. Japan, Australia, the Middle East, there are a lot of good teams. It will help us internally to have a clear goal of winning,” he said.
Klinsmann also reportedly emphasized the goal to his players. On Nov. 14, Klinsmann gathered all the players for the second day of the November A match. Before training, Klinsmann addressed the players for about 10 minutes. It was a solemn speech with a sense of urgency.
We couldn’t hear Klinsmann’s voice from the field. However, an official from the Korea Football Association, who was a little closer to the conversation, explained, “Coach Klinsmann told the players to call their families because the journey to the Asian Cup will be long, and to book a hotel until the final.” 보스토토 도메인
Klinsmann’s first match will be on January 15, 2024 (vs. Bahrain). Heading to Qatar for the tournament, Klinsmann’s team will have about a month to prepare for the final, which will take place on February 10. To prepare for the long time away, Klinsmann will make sure his players have time to spend with their families.