South Korea named a 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup on May 16, and Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Jens Castrop was listed as a defender in the official group released by Yonhap. The team will head to the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico with one clear target: reaching the quarterfinals.
The squad also includes Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae, giving South Korea a core of players established across Europe. Castrop’s inclusion adds another Bundesliga-based name to a roster that also draws from the Premier League and Ligue 1, underlining how widely the team’s best talent is spread before the finals begin.
South Korea has been drawn in Group A with Czechia, South Africa and host Mexico. That opening round leaves little room for mistakes, especially with the tournament format sending teams into a demanding early schedule across three host nations.
Park Hang-seo is playing a central role in the buildup. The former assistant to Guus Hiddink at the 2002 World Cup, when South Korea reached the semifinals, is now vice president of the Korean Football Association and is responsible for preparing the national team for 2026. His job is described as coordinating with the coaching staff while handling logistical and operational matters.
Park also traveled with the side in March as delegation head for international friendlies, a sign that the federation is leaning on his experience at a moment when the squad is being assembled and details are being locked down. For South Korea, the challenge now is not naming the players. It is turning a roster full of European experience into a team that can finally push beyond the last eight.
