When Joo Min-gyu proves it, will the national team's offense feel nervous

Joo Min-gyu (Ulsan), who became the top scorer in the K-League 1 in 2021 and 2023, has worn the national flag for the first time. Attention is focusing on whether it will be a stimulus to the existing strikers.  토토사이트 추천

Hwang Sun-hong, interim coach of the national soccer team, announced the list of 23 national players to play in March A-match, which will be held in two consecutive Asian qualifiers for the 2026 North-Central America World Cup, at the Shinmun Football Center in Seoul on the 11th, and selected three K leagu players, including Joo Min-gyu, Lee Myung-jae (Ulsan), and Jung Ho-yeon (Gwangju).

In particular, the recruitment of Joo, who had been shunned by foreign coaches, is expected to add tension to the existing strikers. For quite some time, his name has been mentioned whenever the national team roster is announced. He has elevated his stock price as a troubleshooter at the K-League, but was an exception at the national team's call.

Joo Min-gyu's name continued to be recalled because the national team has had a thirst for a goal in the front-line strikers over the past few years. Under coach Paulo Bento, Hwang Ui-jo (Alanjaspor) was given a chance as the "Prince." As Hwang Ui-jo showed signs of jiggling before and after the Qatar World Cup, Cho Kyu-sung (Mitt Whelan) emerged as an alternative and his participation increased little by little.

Under coach Jurgen Klinsmann's leadership, Cho Gyu-seong, who scored two headers in the match against Ghana, increased his stake in the 2022 Qatar World Cup group stage in place of Hwang Ui-jo, who showed lackluster performance. The situation also affected Hwang's decision to join the national team due to controversy over his personal life. In most matches, Klinsmann formed the national team's offense team centering on Cho Gyu-seong, Hwang Ui-jo, and Oh Hyun-gyu (Celtic). At the Asian Cup earlier this year, Yang Hyun-joon (Celtic) was also added. Despite this, the strikers' performances did not meet expectations, and Son Heung-min, who is also a forward striker for Tottenham, often filled the team's position.

Korean soccer is considered the best ever as side resources such as Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) are currently recognized on the European stage. Among them, the front-line striker is considered one of the Achilles tendons. In the national team, Cho Kyu-sung and Hwang Ui-jo showed strength in playing more specialized in active movements by interacting with the side and midfielders rather than scoring power in front of the goal. Joo Min-gyu has a small range of movements, but he has various shooting options in front of the goal gate.

The addition of Joo Min-gyu is expected to create a new wind in the existing competition among strikers. Cho Kyu-sung is active in his team Meet Whelan with 10 goals and two assists in the official match, but he was criticized for his lack of decision-making ability in the Asian Cup. Hwang said, "There are many factors in soccer, but I think scoring ability is a different area. No player in the league has scored 50 goals in three years. There is no need for further explanation."

Joo Min-gyu became the first to wear the national flag at the age of 33 years and 333 days, the oldest in Korean soccer history. It was Hwang's choice, which was considered one of the best in the history of Korean soccer. Now, there is still proof of Joo.