Battle for Taeguk Warriors’ No. 1 heats up with three contenders vying for starting spot

Korea's fiercest battle for a starting spot is unfolding between the posts. Four friendlies across September and October have only intensified the race to become the national team's first-choice goalkeeper.

Three contenders are vying for the single spot: Jo Hyeon-woo of Ulsan HD FC, Kim Seung-gyu of FC Tokyo and Song Bum-keun of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

Jo, who started all three of the Taeguk Warriors' matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, delivered a string of spectacular saves in the side's friendly against Uzbekistan on last Tuesday. He denied several early attempts to protect Korea's slender one-goal lead before producing a superb stop against a bicycle kick by Akmal Mozgovoy in the 57th minute. Moments later, he threw himself across goal to turn away a surprise volley from the subsequent corner. His heroics helped secure a 2-0 victory.

Jo was expected to start the third friendly against Venezuela on Oct. 2, which ended in a goalless draw. However, the nod instead went to Song, previously the third-choice goalkeeper.

There was even speculation that Jo might not figure in the plans of interim manager Robert Moreno.

Jo had to wait until the final match for his chance. The performance also helped him reassert himself in the battle for the starting job. Under Moreno, the goalkeeping race now appears wide open, with Jo, Kim and Song all back on level terms.

Kim, meanwhile, put in a solid shift against Ecuador, and while he took a battering against Uruguay in a 4-1 loss, he had to contend with a lack of defensive cohesion. Considering the pressure he was under against Uruguay and his clean sheet against Ecuador, the FIFA World Cup 2026 remains firmly in the race.

Song also made the most of his lone opportunity. He denied Venezuela on Oct. 2 for 90 minutes with four saves, including two from shots inside the penalty area.

Football statistics website FotMob rated Song's performance at 7.9, the highest of any player on the pitch during the match. The performance underlined his credentials as a serious challenger to Jo and Kim.

Korea, meanwhile, held its No. 32 ranking in the latest FIFA world rankings on Thursday as it began a new chapter under Moreno. The Warriors fell outside FIFA's top 30 for the first time since December 2021, when it ranked No. 33, after an early exit from the World Cup with one win and two defeats in the group stage. The latest rankings reflected international fixtures played between Sept. 21 and last Tuesday, a window that allowed each national team to play up to four matches.

Korea also remained fourth among Asian Football Confederation nations, behind Japan at No. 17, Iran at No. 23 and Australia at No. 26.

The next FIFA rankings are due on Nov. 18 and will reflect results from the year's final international window — Nov. 9 to 17 — when teams can play up to two matches.