On the 11th, at the Chivas Verde Valle training ground, the base camp in Guadalajara, Mexico, the squad led by Hong Myung-bo held its final training session before the first 2026 North and Central America World Cup match against the Czech Republic.

One player was absent from the session, where the Taeguk Warriors were fully engaged from the warm-up. Left-footed defender Kim Tae-hyeon (25·Kashima) injured his ankle during training on the 10th and was held out of on-field work.

A Korea Football Association official explained, “Kim Tae-hyeon fell while doing a rondo (keep-away). It is not easy for him to play for the time being.”

Because of this injury, Kim Tae-hyeon conducted individual training indoors. It appears that taking the field during the group stage, including the first match against the Czech Republic on the 12th, will be difficult.

Under FIFA regulations, each country may select a replacement from within the provisional list (55 players) up to 24 hours before its first match. A prime example is Cho Wi-je (Jeonbuk), who was promoted from training partner to full squad member due to an injury to Cho Yu-min (Sharjah).

However, head coach Hong Myung-bo decided to proceed without a replacement, judging that Kim Tae-hyeon could feature in the third match against South Africa on the 25th or in the round of 32, depending on his recovery speed.

An association official said, “The national team has enough central defenders, including Lee Gi-hyeok (Gangwon) and Cho Wi-je. A replacement call-up is not absolutely urgent,” adding, “Kim Tae-hyeon intends to do supplementary training (to help him recover from the injury). (At the latest) we plan to use Kim Tae-hyeon from the round of 32.”

With Kim Tae-hyeon's injury, changes to the team's defensive setup have become unavoidable. Lee Gi-hyeok, the surprise face of this World Cup, could make use of his advantage as a left-footed defender to claim a spot in a back three.

Lee Gi-hyeok appeared in both of the two warm-up matches right before the World Cup, displaying both his strengths and weaknesses. His smooth build-up play, stemming from his background as a midfielder, is clearly a strength. Conversely, he revealed certain limits in physical battles against rugged opposing forwards. This is why the relatively more experienced Kim Tae-hyeon was considered as a starting option for the Czech Republic match.

Depending on the situation, Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) could take the left stopper role in a back three, with Park Jin-seop (Zhejiang) playing as the sweeper in the middle. However, since coach Hong has organized the defense around Kim Min-jae, the first opportunity is expected to go to Lee Gi-hyeok.