South Korea’s World Cup plans have taken a hit two days before kickoff, with Bae Junho still unable to join full training and now looking unlikely to face Czechia on Thursday. The 22-year-old Stoke City playmaker has spent the buildup working with fitness coaches as he steps up his rehabilitation from an ankle injury.
That concern matters now because South Korea are down to the final stretch before their opener, which is due at Friday, 3am UK time, and every training session carries more weight this close to a tournament match. Opta-style updates on squad fitness tend to sharpen quickly at this stage, and this one points in the same direction: availability is becoming a selection issue, not just a medical one.
Bae injured his ankle in a bad challenge during a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago and has complained of discomfort in his right ankle since then, preventing him from taking part in the pre-tournament training in Salt Lake City or the team sessions at the base camp in Guadalajara. He was cleared to remain with the squad only after extensive checks, but his involvement has remained limited to individual work rather than full team training.
That leaves South Korea with a problem that is hard to ignore. Nate reported that with Bae absent from training just two days before the decisive match, it has become difficult to expect him to play against Czechia. For a player who offers creativity from midfield, the loss would force South Korea to adjust quickly before the Group A opener and again for the rest of the first week, with Mexico next on Friday, June 19 at 2am and South Africa following on June 25 at 2am.
The clearest reading is that Bae is more likely to be protected than rushed. South Korea may keep him with the squad and continue the rehabilitation work, but unless he makes a late recovery in the final training sessions, the opening night against Czechia is likely to come too soon for him.
