Jens Castrop Named in South Korea's 26-Man World Cup Squad
jens castrop was named in South Korea’s official 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, giving Borussia Mönchengladbach another player on the international stage. South Korea will take that group into a tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Group A already set against Czechia, South Africa and host Mexico.
Castrop in South Korea's defense
Castrop was listed as a defender, a notable place to see a Borussia Mönchengladbach player in a squad that also includes Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC and Lee Kang-in of PSG. The selection puts him in the same 26-man pool that South Korea will use as it tries to reach the quarterfinals.
That target is the clearest measure of the pressure around this squad. South Korea reached the semifinals at the 2002 World Cup, and the current setup is being built with a path that starts in Group A rather than with any room for error.
Park Hang-seo's support role
Park Hang-seo is handling South Korea’s World Cup preparation as vice president of the Korean Football Association. His role is coordinating support for the coaching staff and managing logistical and operational matters, while he also brings a direct link to the country’s past run at the tournament after working as an assistant coach to Guus Hiddink in 2002.
That background matters because the 2026 squad is not being assembled in a vacuum. South Korea has already used Park as delegation leader during March friendlies, and his job now sits around the roster rather than on the field: making sure the team’s planning, travel and support structure are in place before the tournament begins.
South Korea's World Cup group
The final squad also shows how widely South Korea is drawing from club football across Europe and beyond. The list includes players from Germany, France and the United States, along with other leagues, but Castrop’s selection is the piece that links the announcement directly to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
For him, the immediate change is simple: he is in South Korea’s World Cup plans, not outside them. For the team, the list sets the player pool for a Group A campaign that starts against Czechia, South Africa and Mexico, with the quarterfinal target now attached to the 26 names on the page.
