Colin Bell was named the South Korea manager following the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Bell guided the squad to the 2022 Asian Cup final in India, where they fell to China 3-2. South Korea’s participation in the World Cup was guaranteed by reaching the semifinals. The Taegeuk Ladies are keen to improve on their performance from four years ago in France, where they were eliminated in the group stages after losing three out of three.
“He is very passionate. He changed our team a lot,” South Korea striker Lee Guem-min said. “Being from England, he adapted to a new culture and new environment. He respects the Korean Republic very much. He has tried to adapt to our culture and is very energetic. The coach respects the way we used to train and trains our team to be competitive.”
Since this would be Korea’s third consecutive World Cup. Ji So-yun, a former Chelsea midfielder, concurs that the group has gained confidence under Bell and is eager to succeed in what she believes will be her final season.
“We are prepared to show we are a much stronger side than what we used to be,” she added. “We have grown as a group and gained more experience so I’m sure we can compete.”
The Manager
In October 2019, Colin Bell took over as the first non-Korean coach of the Korean women’s team. High intensity is his fundamental football tenet, which he practices even during practice. Before accepting the position in Korea, the English coach led the Republic of Ireland women’s team from 2017 to 2019, won the Uefa Women’s Champions League with Frankfurt in 2015, and served as the men’s team assistant head coach at Huddersfield. He has recently held several of his news briefings in Korean as he continues to study the language.
Star player
Ji So-yun, Korea’s then-youngest player, made her debut at the age of 15 in 2006 and has since surpassed Cha Bum-kun to become the nation’s all-time leading scorer. Ji, a seven-time KFA Player of the Year winner, joined Chelsea in 2015 and became the first South Korean player in the English WSL.
Rising star
Casey Phair, the first player of mixed racial heritage on the national team, was born to an American father and a South Korean mother. She was an unexpected choice for this tournament at the young age of 16 (and 15 when she was originally brought into the senior setup), but she has a bright future.
Fun Fact
Depending on their position or playing style, several players have well-known nicknames. Ji So-yun is well-known as “Ji Messi” after Lionel Messi. Kang Chae-rim is known as “Rimbappé” after Kylian Mbappé. Cho So-hyun as “Chottuso” after former Italian footballer Gennaro Gattuso.
State of Football
“Kick a Goal” became a nationally successful reality TV program in 2021 that featured female celebrities learning how to play football. Legends from the men’s game as well as other sports have appeared to support the women’s game. The number of people attending WK League games has increased over the previous year. When Suwon FC Women signed Ji So-yun from Chelsea in 2022, the league’s first team to charge for matchday tickets.
Our Prediction
At the very least qualifying for the knockout stage would have to be the primary goal. The South Korea squad is trying to recapture the excitement of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, when they rallied from behind to defeat Spain and go to the round of 16. This comes after three losses in the group stage in France four years ago.
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