'96-line' trio and Son called up amid rift rumors as Moreno faces unity test

Moreno says team comes before any player

Coach to meet overseas-based players in Europe ahead of November Middle East friendlies

South Korea national team head coach Roberto Moreno shakes hands with Son Heung-min and Oh Se-hoon as they are substituted off during a Hana Bank invitational friendly against Uzbekistan at Yongin Mir Stadium on Oct. 6. [Newsis]

Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke) and Hwang In-beom (Porto) — the so-called "96-line" players who were swept up in retirement speculation — have been called up to the South Korea national team for November alongside captain Son Heung-min (LAFC). Interim head coach Roberto Moreno said the team takes priority above all else, even as questions about internal discord within the squad remain unresolved.

Moreno announced a 26-man squad Thursday at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, for two away friendlies in the Middle East next month. The roster includes Son, Kim, Hwang Hee-chan and Hwang In-beom among the core regulars.

Kim, Hwang Hee-chan and Hwang In-beom — all born in 1996 — were engulfed in retirement rumors after the final match of the September–October A-match window, a friendly against Uzbekistan. The situation escalated into a broader controversy over internal tensions when allegations emerged that the three players were unhappy with Son's leadership.

Hwang In-beom told reporters at the time that there was no intention of retiring from international duty, but the other two players did not offer clear statements on the matter. It remains unconfirmed how serious the rift between Son and the three players actually was, or whether it has since been resolved.

"What I have done most over the past few weeks is talk — with the players, with the captain, with the federation and with everyone involved with the team," Moreno said Thursday. "The team comes before any individual player. I want to state again today a principle that will not change."

After the squad announcement, Moreno is set to travel to Europe to assess the form and fitness of the overseas-based players. Moreno is expected to meet with Kim, Hwang In-beom and Hwang Hee-chan during that trip.

Two players earned their first senior call-ups: Gangwon FC center back Shin Min-ha and FC Seoul 19-year-old midfielder Son Jeong-beom. Shin appeared in 21 matches in K League this season. Son Jeong-beom, in a professional debut season, contributed 2 goals and 2 assists in 30 appearances, helping Seoul claim the league title for the first time in 10 years.

Kim Min-jae (left) and Hwang Hee-chan, included in the squad for the November away friendlies in the Middle East. [Newsis]

Compared with the September–October A-match squad, six players have been newly added: Shin Min-ha (Gangwon FC), Son Jeong-beom (FC Seoul), Kim Ji-su (Brentford), Lee Myung-jae (Daejeon), Jung Woo-young (Union Berlin) and Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City).

Among them, Shin Min-ha, Kim Ji-su and Eom Ji-sung were not included in the previous A-match squad because they had been called up for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Meanwhile, Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland), Kim Min-su (Rangers), Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham), Lee Tae-seok (Vienna) and Jung Seung-won (Seoul) were left out of this squad.

The national team will play its final friendlies of the year against Saudi Arabia on Nov. 13 and Qatar on Nov. 17, both in Doha, Qatar.

The two-match trip also represents a critical test for Moreno. Appointed interim head coach in September, Moreno posted a record of two wins, one draw and one loss across the four A-matches in September and October. With the contract running through November, the results and performances in these two matches are expected to factor heavily into any decision about the future.

The trip also marks the last competitive opportunity to sharpen the squad's cohesion ahead of the 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, scheduled for January next year. All eyes will be on whether Moreno can put the internal discord rumors to rest and unite the team.

The full 26-man squad for November is as follows. Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Tokyo), Cho Hyun-woo (Ulsan), Song Beom-geun (North Jeolla Province). Defenders: Seol Young-woo (Augsburg), Choi Jun (Seoul), Lee Han-beom (Bruges), Kim Min-jae (Munich), Kim Ji-su (Brentford), Shin Min-ha (Gangwon), Jo Hyun-taek (Ulsan), Lee Myung-jae (Daejeon). Midfielders: Park Jin-seop (Zhejiang), Kim Bong-su (Daejeon), Son Jeong-beom (Seoul), Hwang In-beom (Porto), Park Tae-jun (Gimcheon), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid), Jung Woo-young (Union Berlin), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), Song Min-kyu (Nacional), Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke). Forwards: Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan), Son Heung-min (LAFC), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas), Oh Se-hoon (Shimizu).

yjc@heraldcorp.com