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South Korea national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see South Korea women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Korea Republic
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nicknames Taegeuk Warriors
Tigers of Asia
Association Korea Football Association (KFA)
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation EAFF (East Asia)
Head coach Vacant
Captain Son Heung-min
Most caps Son Heung-min (147)
Top scorer Cha Bum-kun (58)
FIFA code KOR
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 38 Increase 15 (7 February 2019)
Highest 17 (December 1998)
Lowest 69 (November 2014 – January 2015)
First international
 South Korea 5–3 Mexico 
(London, England; 2 August 1948)
Biggest win
 South Korea 16–0 Nepal   
(Incheon, South Korea; 29 September 2003)
Biggest defeat
 South Korea 0–12 Sweden 
(London, England; 5 August 1948)
World Cup
Appearances 12 (first in 1954)
Best result Fourth place (2002)
Asian Cup
Appearances 15 (first in 1956)
Best result Champions (1956, 1960)
EAFF Championship
Appearances 10 (first in 2003)
Best result Champions (2003, 2008, 2015, 2017, 2019)
Confederations Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 2001)
Best result Group stage (2001)
Medal record
Men's football
AFC Asian Cup
Gold 1956 Hong Kong
Gold 1960 South Korea
Silver 1972 Thailand
Silver 1980 Kuwait
Silver 1988 Qatar
Silver 2015 Australia
Bronze 1964 Israel
Bronze 2000 Lebanon
Bronze 2007 Indonesia, Malaysia,
Thailand and Vietnam
Bronze 2011 Qatar
Asian Games
Gold 1970 Bangkok
Gold 1978 Bangkok
Gold 1986 Seoul
Silver 1954 Manila
Silver 1958 Tokyo
Silver 1962 Jakarta
Bronze 1990 Beijing
EAFF Championship
Gold 2003 Japan
Gold 2008 China
Gold 2015 China
Gold 2017 Japan
Gold 2019 South Korea
Silver 2010 Japan
Silver 2022 Japan
Silver 2025 South Korea
Bronze 2013 South Korea
South Korea national football team
Hangul
대한민국 축구 국가대표팀
Hanja
大韓民國 蹴球 國家代表팀
RR Daehanminguk chukgu gukgadaepyotim
MR Taehanmin'guk ch'ukku kukkadaep'yot'im

The South Korea national football team (known as Korea Republic by FIFA) represents South Korea in international men's football games. The team is managed by the Korea Football Association (KFA). They are a part of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

South Korea has become a very strong football team in Asia since the 1980s. They have played in twelve FIFA World Cup tournaments in total, including eleven in a row. This is more than any other Asian country! They made history in 2002 by becoming the first (and so far only) Asian team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. They co-hosted that tournament with Japan. The team has also won the AFC Asian Cup twice and finished second four times. They have also earned three gold and three silver medals at the Asian Games.

Fans and media often call the team the "Reds" because of their main uniform color. Their official fan group is called the Red Devils.

The Story of South Korean Football

The South Korea national football team played its very first official game on August 2, 1948. They played against Mexico in London, England, and won 5-3! Just a few days later, they faced a tough match against Sweden, losing 0-12.

Over the years, the team grew stronger. They started participating in major tournaments. A big moment was in 2002 when South Korea co-hosted the FIFA World Cup with Japan. They surprised everyone by reaching the semi-finals, which was an amazing achievement for an Asian team. This showed the world how much South Korean football had improved.

The team has also had great success in Asian competitions. They won the AFC Asian Cup in 1956 and 1960. They have also won gold medals at the Asian Games in 1970, 1978, and 1986. These victories helped establish South Korea as a top football nation in Asia.

Team Image

Team Nicknames and Symbols

The South Korea national football team has a couple of cool nicknames. They are known as the Taegeuk Warriors and the Tigers of Asia. These names show their fighting spirit and strength.

Team Colors and Crest

The main color for the South Korean national team's uniform is red. This is why fans and media often call them the "Reds." Their away uniform usually changes between white and black.

For a long time, the team used the country's flag as their badge. But in 2001, they introduced a new badge with a tiger on it. On February 5, 2020, the KFA updated the logo. The new design still features a tiger, but it's simpler and inside a rectangle. The traditional colors of red, blue, and white are still part of the new logo.

Who Makes Their Kits?

Kit supplier Period Notes
Adidas, Asics, Kolon Sports, Pro-Specs, Weekend 1977–1986 South Korea worked with Adidas as their first official kit sponsor. However, they also used other brands back then.
Rapido [ko] (Weekend) 1987–1995 They signed a long-term agreement with Weekend, which later became Rapido.
Nike 1996–present Nike has been their kit sponsor since January 1, 1996.

Kit Sponsorship Deals

Kit supplier Period Contract date Contract duration Total Value Annual Value Ref.
Nike 1996–present
December 1995
 1996–1997 $3 million $1.5 million
16 December 1997 1998–2002 $38 million $7.6 million
9 January 2003 2003–2007 $50 million $10.0 million
23 October 2007 2008–2011 $49 million $12.3 million
13 January 2012 2012–2019 $120 million $15.0 million
20 January 2020
 2020–2031 $204 million $17.0 million

Home Stadiums

The South Korea national team played its first home game at the Dongdaemun Stadium in 1956. They played a qualifying match for the 1956 AFC Asian Cup against the Philippines. Today, they play their home matches at various stadiums across South Korea. These stadiums are also used by clubs in the K League.

Exciting Rivalries

South Korea has some exciting rivalries in football! Their biggest rival is Japan. This rivalry is very strong and goes beyond just football. South Korea has won more games against Japan, with 42 wins, 23 draws, and 17 losses.

They also have a strong rivalry with Iran. These two teams have played 33 matches since 1958. They often meet in important stages of the AFC Asian Cup. Iran has won 13 matches, with 10 draws and 10 losses.

Another big rival is Australia. They have played 29 times, with both teams winning 9 matches and 11 ending in a draw. Australia beat South Korea in the 2015 Asian Cup final.

South Korea has a very good record against China. China did not beat them in a competitive match for 32 years until 2010. There is also a rivalry with North Korea, but they don't play each other very often.

Passionate Supporters

The official fan group for the national team is called the Red Devils. They were started in 1995. These fans are known for their amazing and loud support. They are often called the "12th man" because they cheer so much. Their most famous chant is "Dae~ Han-Min-Guk" (대~한민국), followed by five claps.

The FIFA Fan Fest was first used during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea. This allowed many fans to watch games together on big screens.

Recent Matches and Upcoming Games

Here are some of the recent match results for the South Korea national football team. You can also see their upcoming scheduled games.

      Win0       Draw0       Loss0       Fixture

Matches Played in 2025

7 July 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship South Korea  3–0  China Yongin, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9
  • Lee Dong-gyeong Goal 8'
  • Joo Min-kyu Goal 21'
  • Kim Ju-sung Goal 57'
 Stadium: Yongin Mireu Stadium
Attendance: 4,426
Referee: Tuan Yaasin (Malaysia)
11 July 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Hong Kong  0–2  South Korea Yongin, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9
  • Kang Sang-yoon Goal 27'
  • Lee Ho-jae Goal 67'
 Stadium: Yongin Mireu Stadium
Attendance: 5,521
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah (Singapore)
15 July 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship South Korea  0–1  Japan Yongin, South Korea
19:24 UTC+9
  • Germain Goal 8'
 Stadium: Yongin Mireu Stadium
Attendance: 18,418
Referee: Tuan Yaasin (Malaysia)
6 September Friendly United States  0–2  South Korea Harrison, New Jersey, United States
17:00 UTC−4
Stadium: Sports Illustrated Stadium
Attendance: 26,500
Referee: Reon Radix (Grenada)
9 September Friendly Mexico  2–2  South Korea Nashville, Tennessee, United States
20:00 UTC−5
Stadium: Geodis Park
Attendance: 27,604
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr. (United States)
10 October Friendly South Korea  0–5  Brazil Seoul, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9
Stadium: Seoul World Cup Stadium
Attendance: 63,237
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
14 October Friendly South Korea  2–0  Paraguay Seoul, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9
  • Eom Ji-sung Goal 15'
  • Oh Hyeon-gyu Goal 75'
 Stadium: Seoul World Cup Stadium
Attendance: 22,206
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
14 November Friendly South Korea  2–0  Bolivia Daejeon, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9
Stadium: Daejeon World Cup Stadium
Attendance: 33,852
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
18 November Friendly South Korea  1–0  Ghana Seoul, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9
  • Lee Tae-seok Goal 63'
 Stadium: Seoul World Cup Stadium
Attendance: 33,256
Referee: Ahmad Al-Ali (Kuwait)

Matches Played in 2026

28 March Friendly South Korea  0–4  Ivory Coast Milton Keynes, England
14:00 UTC±0
  • Guessand Goal 35'
  • Adingra Goal 45+1'
  • Godo Goal 62'
  • Singo Goal 90+3'
 Stadium: Stadium MK
Attendance: 5,917
Referee: Ian McNabb (Northern Ireland)
31 March Friendly Austria  1–0  South Korea Vienna, Austria
20:45 UTC+2
Stadium: Ernst-Happel-Stadion
Attendance: 35,300
Referee: Sander van der Eijk (Netherlands)
30 May Friendly South Korea  5–0  Trinidad and Tobago Provo, Utah, United States
19:00 UTC−6
Stadium: South Field
Attendance: 3,454
Referee: Victor Rivas (United States)
3 June Friendly South Korea  1–0  El Salvador Provo, Utah, United States
19:00 UTC−6
  • Lee Dong-gyeong Goal 57'
 Stadium: South Field
Referee: Natalie Simon (United States)
11 June 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A South Korea  2–1  Czech Republic Zapopan, Mexico
20:00 UTC−6
  • Hwang In-beom Goal 67'
  • Oh Hyeon-gyu Goal 80'
  • Krejčí Goal 59'
 Stadium: Estadio Akron
Attendance: 44,985
Referee: Amin Mohamed Omar (Egypt)
18 June 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A Mexico  1–0  South Korea Zapopan, Mexico
19:00 UTC−6
  • Romo Goal 50'
 Stadium: Estadio Akron
Attendance: 45,522
Referee: Gustavo Tejera (Uruguay)
24 June 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A South Africa  1–0  South Korea Guadalupe, Mexico
19:00 UTC−6
  • Maseko Goal 63'
 Stadium: Estadio BBVA
Attendance: 51,243
Referee: Facundo Tello (Argentina)

Upcoming Matches in 2027

10 January 2027 AFC Asian Cup Group E South Korea  v  Yemen Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
--:-- UTC+3 Stadium: King Abdullah Sports City Stadium
15 January 2027 AFC Asian Cup Group E Vietnam  v  South Korea Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
--:-- UTC+3 Stadium: Kingdom Arena
20 January 2027 AFC Asian Cup Group E South Korea  v  United Arab Emirates Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
--:-- UTC+3 Stadium: King Saud University Stadium

All-Time Match Results

Main article: South Korea national football team results

This table shows the overall performance of the South Korea national football team across different decades.

Results by decade
Year Pld W D L Win % Matches
1948–1959 &&&&&&&&&&&&&048.&&&&&048 &&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&058.33000058.33 Matches
1960–1969 &&&&&&&&&&&&&090.&&&&&090 &&&&&&&&&&&&&052.&&&&&052 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&057.78000057.78 Matches
1970–1979 &&&&&&&&&&&&0186.&&&&&0186 &&&&&&&&&&&&0117.&&&&&0117 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 &&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025 &&&&&&&&&&&&&062.90000062.90 Matches
1980–1989 &&&&&&&&&&&&0129.&&&&&0129 &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 &&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029 &&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025 &&&&&&&&&&&&&058.14000058.14 Matches
1990–1999 &&&&&&&&&&&&0151.&&&&&0151 &&&&&&&&&&&&&070.&&&&&070 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 &&&&&&&&&&&&&046.36000046.36 Matches
2000–2009 &&&&&&&&&&&&0171.&&&&&0171 &&&&&&&&&&&&&076.&&&&&076 &&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.44000044.44 Matches
2010–2019 &&&&&&&&&&&&0154.&&&&&0154 &&&&&&&&&&&&&081.&&&&&081 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 &&&&&&&&&&&&&042.&&&&&042 &&&&&&&&&&&&&052.60000052.60 Matches
2020–present &&&&&&&&&&&&&079.&&&&&079 &&&&&&&&&&&&&046.&&&&&046 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&058.23000058.23 Matches
Total &&&&&&&&&&&01008.&&&&&01,008 &&&&&&&&&&&&0545.&&&&&0545 &&&&&&&&&&&&0246.&&&&&0246 &&&&&&&&&&&&0217.&&&&&0217 &&&&&&&&&&&&&054.&7000054.07 —

Coaching Staff

Main article: List of South Korea national football team managers

Here are the current coaches who help the national team play their best.

Current coaching staff
Position Coach
Head coach Vacant
Assistant coach Portugal João Aroso
Tactical coach Portugal Tiago Maia
Coaches South Korea Kim Dong-jin
South Korea Kim Jin-kyu
Goalkeeping coach Portugal Pedro Roma
Fitness coaches South Korea Lee Jae-hong
Portugal Nuno Matias

Players

Current Team Squad

These 26 players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Player information (caps and goals) is updated as of June 24, 2026, after the match against South Africa.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Kim Seung-gyu (1990-09-30) 30 September 1990 (age 35) 90 0 Japan FC Tokyo
12 1GK Song Bum-keun (1997-10-15) 15 October 1997 (age 28) 3 0 South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
21 1GK Jo Hyeon-woo (1991-09-25) 25 September 1991 (age 34) 48 0 South Korea Ulsan HD
2 2DF Lee Han-beom (2002-06-17) 17 June 2002 (age 24) 11 0 Denmark Midtjylland
3 2DF Lee Gi-hyuk (2000-07-07) 7 July 2000 (age 26) 6 0 South Korea Gangwon FC
4 2DF Kim Min-jae (1996-11-15) 15 November 1996 (age 29) 82 4 Germany Bayern Munich
5 2DF Kim Tae-hyeon (2000-09-17) 17 September 2000 (age 25) 7 0 Japan Kashima Antlers
13 2DF Lee Tae-seok (2002-07-28) 28 July 2002 (age 23) 17 1 Austria Austria Wien
14 2DF Cho Wi-je (2001-08-25) 25 August 2001 (age 24) 1 0 South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
15 2DF Kim Moon-hwan (1995-08-01) 1 August 1995 (age 30) 36 0 South Korea Daejeon Hana Citizen
16 2DF Park Jin-seob (1995-10-23) 23 October 1995 (age 30) 16 1 China Zhejiang FC
22 2DF Seol Young-woo (1998-12-05) 5 December 1998 (age 27) 37 0 Serbia Red Star Belgrade
23 2DF Jens Castrop (2003-07-29) 29 July 2003 (age 22) 8 0 Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach
6 3MF Hwang In-beom (1996-09-20) 20 September 1996 (age 29) 76 7 Netherlands Feyenoord
8 3MF Paik Seung-ho (1997-03-17) 17 March 1997 (age 29) 30 3 England Birmingham City
10 3MF Lee Jae-sung (1992-08-10) 10 August 1992 (age 33) 107 15 Germany Mainz 05
11 3MF Hwang Hee-chan (1996-01-26) 26 January 1996 (age 30) 82 17 England Wolverhampton Wanderers
17 3MF Bae Jun-ho (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 22) 13 2 England Stoke City
19 3MF Lee Kang-in (2001-02-19) 19 February 2001 (age 25) 50 11 France Paris Saint-Germain
20 3MF Yang Hyun-jun (2002-05-25) 25 May 2002 (age 24) 10 0 Scotland Celtic
24 3MF Kim Jin-gyu (1997-02-24) 24 February 1997 (age 29) 24 3 South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
25 3MF Eom Ji-sung (2002-05-09) 9 May 2002 (age 24) 11 2 Wales Swansea City
26 3MF Lee Dong-gyeong (1997-09-20) 20 September 1997 (age 28) 18 4 South Korea Ulsan HD
7 4FW Son Heung-min (captain) (1992-07-08) 8 July 1992 (age 34) 147 56 United States Los Angeles FC
9 4FW Cho Gue-sung (1998-01-25) 25 January 1998 (age 28) 46 12 Denmark Midtjylland
18 4FW Oh Hyeon-gyu (2001-04-12) 12 April 2001 (age 25) 30 7 Turkey Beşiktaş

Other Players Called Up Recently

The following players have also been called up to the South Korea squad within the last twelve months.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Yun Ki-wook (2006-10-10) 10 October 2006 (age 19) 0 0 South Korea FC Seoul 2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
GK Lee Chang-geun (1993-08-30) 30 August 1993 (age 32) 3 0 South Korea Daejeon Hana Citizen 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
GK Kim Dong-heon (1997-03-03) 3 March 1997 (age 29) 0 0 South Korea Incheon United 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
DF Cho Yu-min (1996-11-17) 17 November 1996 (age 29) 19 0 United Arab Emirates Sharjah 2026 FIFA World Cup INJ
DF Kim Ju-sung (2000-12-12) 12 December 2000 (age 25) 8 1 Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima v.  Austria, 31 March 2026
DF Lee Myung-jae (1993-11-04) 4 November 1993 (age 32) 10 0 South Korea Daejeon Hana Citizen v.  Ghana, 18 November 2025
DF Jeong Sang-bin (2002-04-01) 1 April 2002 (age 24) 3 1 United States St. Louis City v.  Paraguay, 14 October 2025
DF Kim Ji-soo (2004-12-24) 24 December 2004 (age 21) 0 0 England Brentford v.  Paraguay, 14 October 2025
DF Byeon Jun-soo (2001-11-30) 30 November 2001 (age 24) 1 0 South Korea Gimcheon Sangmu v.  Mexico, 9 September 2025
DF Park Seung-wook (1997-05-07) 7 May 1997 (age 29) 5 0 Japan Shimizu S-Pulse 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
DF Cho Hyun-taek (2001-08-02) 2 August 2001 (age 24) 1 0 South Korea Ulsan HD 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
DF Kim Tae-hyun (1996-12-19) 19 December 1996 (age 29) 1 0 South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
DF Seo Myung-gwan (2002-11-23) 23 November 2002 (age 23) 1 0 South Korea Ulsan HD 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
MF Kang Sang-yoon (2004-05-31) 31 May 2004 (age 22) 3 1 South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
MF Hong Hyun-seok (1999-06-16) 16 June 1999 (age 27) 16 0 Germany Mainz 05 v.  Austria, 31 March 2026
MF Kwon Hyeok-kyu (2001-03-13) 13 March 2001 (age 25) 2 0 Germany Karlsruher SC v.  Austria, 31 March 2026
MF Won Du-jae (1997-11-18) 18 November 1997 (age 28) 11 0 Japan Shimizu S-Pulse v.  Ghana, 18 November 2025
MF Seo Min-woo (1998-03-12) 12 March 1998 (age 28) 4 0 South Korea Gangwon FC v.  Ghana, 18 November 2025
MF Yang Min-hyeok (2006-04-16) 16 April 2006 (age 20) 2 0 England Tottenham Hotspur v.  Ghana, 18 November 2025
MF Park Yong-woo (1993-09-10) 10 September 1993 (age 32) 24 0 Unattached v.  Mexico, 9 September 2025
MF Na Sang-ho (1996-08-12) 12 August 1996 (age 29) 30 2 Japan Fagiano Okayama 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
MF Moon Seon-min (1992-06-09) 9 June 1992 (age 34) 21 2 South Korea FC Seoul 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
MF Jeon Jin-woo (1999-09-09) 9 September 1999 (age 26) 2 0 England Oxford United 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship INJ
MF Jeong Seung-won (1997-02-27) 27 February 1997 (age 29) 2 0 South Korea FC Seoul 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
MF Kim Bong-soo (1999-12-26) 26 December 1999 (age 26) 2 0 South Korea Daejeon Hana Citizen 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
MF Lee Seung-won (2003-03-06) 6 March 2003 (age 23) 2 0 South Korea Gangwon FC 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
MF Mo Jae-hyeon (1996-09-24) 24 September 1996 (age 29) 2 0 South Korea Gangwon FC 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
FW Oh Se-hun (1999-01-15) 15 January 1999 (age 27) 10 2 Japan Shimizu S-Pulse v.  Mexico, 9 September 2025
FW Joo Min-kyu (1990-04-13) 13 April 1990 (age 36) 11 3 South Korea Daejeon Hana Citizen 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
FW Lee Ho-jae (2000-10-14) 14 October 2000 (age 25) 3 1 South Korea Pohang Steelers 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
Notes
  • INJ = Withdrew due to injury
  • PRE = Preliminary squad

Hall of Fame

Further information: KFA Awards

These players have been honored and added to the official Hall of Fame for their amazing contributions to South Korean football. KFA Awards

Individual Player Records

Players in bold are still active with the South Korea national team.

Most Games Played for South Korea

BFA 2023 -2 Heung-Min Son (cropped)
Son Heung-min has played the most games for South Korea, with 147 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Son Heung-min 147 56 2010–present
2 Cha Bum-kun 136 58 1972–1986
Hong Myung-bo 136 10 1990–2002
4 Lee Woon-jae 133 0 1994–2010
5 Lee Young-pyo 127 5 1999–2011
6 Kim Ho-kon 124 5 1971–1979
7 Yoo Sang-chul 122 18 1994–2005
8 Cho Young-jeung 113 1 1975–1986
9 Kim Young-gwon 112 7 2010–2024
10 Ki Sung-yueng 110 10 2008–2019

Top Goal Scorers for South Korea

Cha Bum Kun
Cha Bum-kun is South Korea's top goalscorer with 58 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Cha Bum-kun 58 136 0.43 1972–1986
2 Son Heung-min 56 147 0.38 2010–present
3 Hwang Sun-hong 50 103 0.49 1988–2002
4 Park Lee-chun 36 89 0.4 1969–1974
5 Kim Jae-han 33 57 0.58 1972–1979
Lee Dong-gook 33 105 0.31 1998–2017
7 Choi Soon-ho 30 103 0.29 1980–1991
8 Kim Do-hoon 29 72 0.4 1994–2003
Huh Jung-moo 29 84 0.35 1974–1986
10 Choi Yong-soo 27 67 0.4 1995–2003
Lee Tae-ho 27 72 0.38 1980–1991
Kim Jin-kook 27 94 0.29 1972–1978

Competitive Tournament Records

     Champions0      Runners-up0      Third place0   Tournament played on home soil

FIFA World Cup History

South Korea has participated in the FIFA World Cup 12 times. Their best performance was reaching the fourth place in 2002 when they co-hosted the tournament. This was a historic moment for Asian football.

FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
1930 to 1938 Part of Japan Part of Japan
Brazil 1950 Did not enter Did not enter
Switzerland 1954 Group stage 2 0 0 2 0 16 Squad 2 1 1 0 7 3
Sweden 1958 Did not enter Entry denied by FIFA
Chile 1962 Did not qualify 4 2 0 2 6 9
England 1966 Did not enter Did not enter
Mexico 1970 Did not qualify 4 1 2 1 6 5
West Germany 1974 8 3 4 1 10 4
Argentina 1978 12 5 6 1 16 9
Spain 1982 3 2 0 1 7 4
Mexico 1986 Group stage 3 0 1 2 4 7 Squad 8 7 0 1 17 3
Italy 1990 3 0 0 3 1 6 Squad 11 9 2 0 30 1
United States 1994 3 0 2 1 4 5 Squad 13 9 3 1 32 5
France 1998 3 0 1 2 2 9 Squad 12 9 2 1 28 8
South Korea Japan 2002 Fourth place 7 3 2 2 8 6 Squad Qualified as hosts
Germany 2006 Group stage 3 1 1 1 3 4 Squad 12 7 3 2 18 7
South Africa 2010 Round of 16 4 1 1 2 6 8 Squad 14 7 7 0 22 7
Brazil 2014 Group stage 3 0 1 2 3 6 Squad 14 8 3 3 27 11
Russia 2018 3 1 0 2 3 3 Squad 18 12 3 3 38 10
Qatar 2022 Round of 16 4 1 1 2 5 8 Squad 16 12 3 1 35 4
Canada Mexico United States 2026 Group stage 3 1 0 2 2 3 Squad 16 11 5 0 40 8
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Fourth place 41 8 10 23 41 81 12/20 167 105 44 18 339 98

Summer Olympics Football

Football at the Summer Olympics has been a tournament for players under 23 years old since 1992.
Summer Olympics record Qualification record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
1900 to 1908 Part of the Korean Empire Part of the Korean Empire
1912 to 1936 Part of Japan Part of Japan
United Kingdom 1948 Quarter-finals 2 1 0 1 5 15 Squad Directly qualified
Finland 1952 Did not enter Did not enter
Australia 1956 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 2 2
Italy 1960 4 2 0 2 4 4
Japan 1964 Group stage 3 0 0 3 1 20 Squad 4 2 1 1 7 4
Mexico 1968 Did not qualify 5 4 1 0 17 5
West Germany 1972 4 3 0 1 16 2
Canada 1976 6 3 2 1 10 5
Soviet Union 1980 6 4 0 2 16 6
United States 1984 11 5 3 3 19 11
South Korea 1988 Group stage 3 0 2 1 1 2 Squad Qualified as hosts
1992 to present Entered with the under-23 team Entered with the under-23 team
Total Quarter-finals 8 1 2 5 7 37 3/11 42 24 7 11 91 39

AFC Asian Cup Achievements

South Korea has a strong record in the AFC Asian Cup. They have won the championship twice, in 1956 and 1960. They have also been runners-up four times and finished in third place four times.

Asian Games Football

Football at the Asian Games has been a tournament for players under 23 years old since 2002.
Asian Games record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad
India 1951 Did not enter
Philippines 1954 Silver medalists 4 1 2 1 15 12 Squad
Japan 1958 Silver medalists 5 4 0 1 15 6 Squad
Indonesia 1962 Silver medalists 5 4 0 1 9 5 Squad
Flag of Thailand (TIS 982 draft standard).svg 1966 First round 2 0 0 2 0 4 Squad
Flag of Thailand (TIS 982 draft standard).svg 1970 Gold medalists 6 3 2 1 5 3 Squad
Iran 1974 Second round 5 1 1 3 4 10 Squad
Flag of Thailand (TIS 982 draft standard).svg 1978 Gold medalists 7 6 1 0 15 3 Squad
India 1982 Group stage 3 1 0 2 4 3 Squad
South Korea 1986 Gold medalists 6 4 2 0 14 3 Squad
China 1990 Bronze medalists 6 5 0 1 18 1 Squad
Japan 1994 Fourth place 6 3 0 3 17 7 Squad
Flag of Thailand (TIS 982 draft standard).svg 1998 Quarter-finals 6 4 0 2 12 6 Squad
2002 to present Entered with the under-23 team
Total Gold medalists 61 36 8 17 128 63 12/13

EAFF Championship Record

EAFF Championship record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad
Japan 2003 Champions 3 2 1 0 4 1 Squad
South Korea 2005 Fourth place 3 0 2 1 1 2 Squad
China 2008 Champions 3 1 2 0 5 4 Squad
Japan 2010 Runners-up 3 2 0 1 8 4 Squad
South Korea 2013 Third place 3 0 2 1 1 2 Squad
China 2015 Champions 3 1 2 0 3 1 Squad
Japan 2017 Champions 3 2 1 0 7 3 Squad
South Korea 2019 Champions 3 3 0 0 4 0 Squad
Japan 2022 Runners-up 3 2 0 1 6 3 Squad
South Korea 2025 Runners-up 3 2 0 1 5 1 Squad
Total Champions 30 15 10 5 44 21 10/10

Other International Competitions

Competition Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad
United States 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group stage 2 0 2 0 2 2 Squad
South Korea Japan 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup Group stage 3 2 0 1 3 6 Squad
United States 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup Fourth place 5 0 2 3 3 7 Squad

Team Honours and Awards

Intercontinental Trophies

  • Afro-Asian Cup of Nations
Med 1.png Champions: 1987

Continental Trophies

Med 1.png Champions: 1956, 1960
Med 2.png Runners-up: 1972, 1980, 1988, 2015
Med 3.png Third place: 1964, 2000, 2007, 2011
  • Asian Games
Med 1.png Gold medalists: 1970, 1978, 1986
Med 2.png Silver medalists: 1954, 1958, 1962
Med 3.png Bronze medalists: 1990

Regional Trophies

  • EAFF Championship
Med 1.png Champions: 2003, 2008, 2015, 2017, 2019
Med 2.png Runners-up: 2010, 2022, 2025
Med 3.png Third place: 2013

Friendly Competition Wins

  • Korea Cup: 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1997
  • Merdeka Tournament: 1960, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1978
  • King's Cup: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1998
  • Jakarta Anniversary Tournament: 1981
  • Dynasty Cup: 1990
  • LG Cup: 2000 (Iran), 2001 (Egypt), 2006 (Saudi Arabia)

Special Awards

  • FIFA World Cup Most Entertaining Team: 2002
  • AFC National Team of the Year: 2002, 2009
  • EAFF Championship Fair Play Award: 2008
  • AFC Asian Cup Fair Play Award: 2011

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Corea del Sur para niños

  • Football in South Korea
  • South Korea national under-20 football team
  • South Korea national under-17 football team
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