Japan caught Germany, Turkey, Canada and Tunisia, What do KFA and Klinsman, who are ‘in contact’ with Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, expect?
Countries around the world are having difficulty in holding friendly matches with European countries as the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has put a lot of effort into the Nations League, which was created separately from the European Championships. Even during the rare hiatus, there are not many opportunities for Asian countries on the periphery of soccer as priority is given to South America or North and Central American countries that are helpful from Europe.
The A match week in September, set by FIFA, was a long-awaited opportunity. Korea and Japan decided to go to Europe side by side. However, Japan won by decision. It will face Germany in Wolfsburg on September 9 and Turkiye in Henk, Belgium on September 12.
On the other hand, South Korea only decided to visit Wales on Sept. 7. Everything was twisted by Mexico’s change of heart pushed against the next opponent. The most likely alternative is the Middle East countries, including Saudi Arabia, which promoted the Mexican war like South Korea. However, even if the cost is shared, the warm-up match with Middle Eastern countries in Europe is not attractive.
Even if the match against Mexico fails as it is, South Korea will not be able to compensate for the damage. The Korea Football Association (KFA) was notified by Mexico before writing the contract. It is the joint responsibility of the leadership who sat on the sidelines and handled the poor work of working-level officials who lack expertise.
There is also an uncomfortable atmosphere in the A-match series in October. Japan will face Canada in Niigata on October 13 and Tunisia in Kobe on October 17. Canada competed in the Qatar World Cup last year, and Tunisia is the dark horse of North Africa. Realistically, it is the best result. 스포츠토토
In this case, you can expect a Korean tour between Canada and Tunisia. Korea and Japan have shared sparring partners to reduce costs, and so have they in March and June this year. But this October is different. It was confirmed that South Korea included a warm-up match against Vietnam among the two games. The KFA cited national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann’s request before leaving for the U.S. for “remote work,” saying, “Please find a ‘customized opponent’ who will work hard to defend against us in preparation for the Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-Central America World Cup.”
None of the Korean coaches ever asked to hold the weak against the warm-up match. Former national team coach Paulo Bento, who led South Korea to the round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup, used to demand, “If possible, find the strongest opponent.” This is because there is nothing to expect except relatively easy casting and natural victory. It also doesn’t help manage FIFA rankings at all. If a Southeast Asian country was needed, it might be better to invite Shin Tae-yong’s Indonesia or Kim Pan-gon’s Malaysia.