South Korea's squad finally train together in Doha, smiles and all

All 26 players are finally in Doha, and South Korea's first full training session ahead of the match with Saudi Arabia on the 13th was full of smiles and shouts.

10 Nov 2026, 17:562 min read

South Korean national team players jogging and clapping together on a training pitch at Qatar University in Doha. — Image: 연합뉴스

For the first time this month, every single South Korea player was on the same pitch, and the mood was a lot lighter than many fans might have feared. Players laughed, clapped and pushed each other on in Doha.

The national team, led by interim coach Roberto Moreno, trained on Tuesday at Qatar University's pitch. It was the first session with all 26 called-up players, ahead of the first of two November matches against Saudi Arabia on 13 November (Korean time).

What happened?

Moreno arrived in Doha the day before. The K League players flew in from Korea, while the overseas-based players joined one by one after finishing their club commitments, until the squad was complete.

The players were split into a recovery group and a training group, depending on when they last played for their clubs. Eleven of them, including captain Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan, jogged around the pitch in trainers instead of boots. The other 15, including Lee Jae-sung, Kim Min-jae and Hwang In-beom, did ball-winning drills and small-sided games for about an hour.

One thing stood out: Son and Hwang, the oldest hands in the squad, walked at the front of the recovery group chatting happily.

Why is everyone watching?

Because the mood hasn't always been this warm. After the last of four friendlies in September and October, against Uzbekistan, Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang In-beom and Kim Min-jae, all born in 1996, reportedly stirred a row over international retirement. It reportedly began with frustration over communication with Son during the 2026 World Cup.

The team's cohesion has wobbled since, and performances haven't recovered. On top of that, the Asian Cup, planned for January, was pushed back by almost a year, which leaves Moreno's own future unclear.

So these two matches are a test of whether Son and the 1996 group can clear the air and play as one team.

What did the players say?

Union Berlin's Jeong Woo-yeong said Son spoke to the squad at lunch. According to Jeong, the captain asked everyone to focus and enjoy playing together on the pitch, and to train with smiles and good energy.