Kim Tae-Hyeon
CB
--
Sep 17, 2000 (25)
Left
6'1"
181 lb
Ranking
Timeline
Grades
Key Grades
This season
Overall Grades by game
This season
Matches
News
Unlikely for group stage
Tae-hyeon (ankle) twisted his left ankle during a rondo passing drill in a closed training session Wednesday and is unlikely to feature in any of South Korea's three group stage matches, though the team decided against replacing him given the expectation he could return for the knockout rounds, according to Kim Young-joon of The Chosun Daily.
Analysis: Tae-hyeon was the only squad member not seen warming up during the final open media training session before the Czech Republic opener on Thursday in Guadalajara, with medical examinations confirming his likely unavailability for the group stage. Lee Gi-Hyuk is expected to start as the left stopper in the three-back formation against the Czech Republic, with Park Jin-Seob also a potential option depending on coach Hong Myung-bo's tactical decisions. The injury adds to South Korea's growing defensive concerns after Cho Yu-Min (foot) was ruled out of the entire tournament.
Out for opener, possibly group stage
Tae-Hyeon is out for Thursday's World Cup opener against Czechia and could miss the entire tournament, according to Korea Football News.
Analysis: Tae-Hyeon is heading into the World Cup with some unfortunate news, as the defender will miss their opener due to an ankle injury. However, this is not the worst of the news, as he could miss the entire group stage as well. This is a major blow for the team, as he was likely to earn a starting role, leaving Lee Gi-Hyuk to potentially fill his spot. If Tae-Hyeon does miss the group stage, he will have to hope his team can finish top 2 or be one of the best third-place teams in Group A to get his chance at playing at the 2026 World Cup, facing Czechia, Mexico and South Africa in their group.
Select Player
Search and select a player to compare