Seoul, South Korea - Jens Castrop made history Saturday as the first dual-heritage player selected for a South Korean World Cup squad. Manager Hong Myung-bo named the Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder to his 26-man roster for the 2026 tournament.
Castrop, who has a German father and Korean mother, played for Germany at youth levels but switched allegiance last year. He now has five caps for South Korea.
Captain Son Heung-min leads the attack with 54 international goals. The only other strikers named are Oh Hyeon-gyu, with six goals for Turkey's Beşiktaş, and Cho Gue-sung, who has ten for his country.
Paris Saint-Germain star Lee Kang-in and Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae are also included. Goalkeepers Jo Hyeon-woo and Kim Seung-gyu will compete for the starting spot.
Midfielder Hwang In-beom, nursing an ankle injury since March with Feyenoord, made the cut. Hong says high-intensity training should restore his match sharpness in time for the tournament.
South Korea opens Group A play against the Czech Republic in Guadalajara on June 11. They also face co-hosts Mexico and South Africa in the first round.
The squad will play warm-up friendlies against Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador in Utah before heading to the World Cup.