ethernetacademy.netNational team coach Jürgen Klinsmann has warned against complacency ahead of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup in Asia. “We are constantly discussing,” he said of his starting lineup, which is largely unchanged from the last assessment.
Klinsmann’s squad, ranked 24th in the FIFA rankings, began their first training session on Wednesday ahead of their second Asian qualifier for the 2026 FIFA World Cup North and Central America. Klinsmann’s men will face Singapore (155th) at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sept. 16 and China (79th) at the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Center on Sept. 21.
Since its inauguration, the Klinsmanns have recorded three wins, three draws, and two losses in eight games. The team has recently won three straight games and has shown off its scoring prowess in domestic trials.
Klinsmann attended a media conference on Wednesday, where he spoke to reporters and reiterated the team’s focus on their second Asian qualifier in November and their biggest goal of winning the 2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.
He started by saying, “The results of the last two games have been positive. But the next game will not be easy. Bayern Munich (Germany) also lost to a third division team in a cup competition. Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai also struggled in their AFC Champions League (ACL) matches against Malaysian and Singaporean clubs,” he said, warning against complacency.
The two-game series is also a last chance for the squad to check in before the Asian Cup next January. “There’s a generational change in the squad based on the big tournaments (World Cup, Confederations Cup),” Klinsmann said. Currently, Korea has Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Kim Min-jae (Munich), and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) playing for top clubs in Europe. The expectations of the media and fans are naturally high,” he said, reiterating that “we have set a clear goal of winning the Asian Cup.”
Klinsmann named his 23-man squad on June 6, with only two spots unchanged from the October trials.
On the day, he was asked: “There is a view that both fullbacks and defensive midfielders need to be strengthened, what are your thoughts on that? Given that the players in those positions are in their early 30s and there hasn’t been much change recently, the question was about the manager’s future plans.
“That’s a good point,” Klinsmann responded, but he was coy about it, saying, “We’re still talking internally about who we’re going to call up when there’s an injury, when there’s a change.”
“I think it’s difficult for young players to get opportunities in Korea,” Klinsmann said, asking, “Would Lee Kang-in have been able to play in the K League at 18?” He was referring to the lack of established young players in Korean soccer. 토토사이트
Klinsmann has emphasized that he pays attention to the “development” of his players during each trial, but there has been no change in the roster of players who receive his call-ups, and young players are rarely given a chance to establish themselves in the national team.
Klinsmann’s heavy reliance on starters could prove to be a fatal weakness. Klinsmann’s response,