South Korea national football team
 |
|
| Nickname(s) |
Taegeuk Warriors (태극전사) The Reds Red Devils (붉은 악마) |
|---|---|
| Association |
Korea Football Association (KFA) 대한축구협회 |
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Sub-confederation | EAFF (East Asia) |
| Head coach | Uli Stielike |
| Captain | Ki Sung-yueng |
| Most caps | Hong Myung-bo (136) |
| Top scorer | Cha Bum-kun (58) |
| Home stadium | Seoul World Cup Stadium |
| FIFA code | KOR |
| FIFA ranking | |
| Current | 37  (12 January 2017)
|
| Highest | 17 (December 1998) |
| Lowest | 69 (November 2014 – January 2015) |
| Elo ranking | |
| Current | 21 (18 January 2017) |
| Highest | 15 (September 1980, June 2002) |
| Lowest | 82 |
| First international | |
 South Korea 5–1 Hong Kong  (Hong Kong; July 6, 1948) |
|
| Biggest win | |
 South Korea 16–0 Nepal  (Incheon, South Korea; September 29, 2003) |
|
| Biggest defeat | |
South Korea 0–12 Sweden  (London, United Kingdom; August 5, 1948) |
|
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 9 (first in 1954) |
| Best result | Fourth Place, 2002 |
| Asian Cup | |
| Appearances | 13 (first in 1956) |
| Best result | Champions, 1956 and 1960 |
| CONCACAF Gold Cup | |
| Appearances | 2 (first in 2000) |
| Best result | Fourth Place, 2002 |
| Confederations Cup | |
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2001) |
| Best result | Group Stage, 2001 |
| South Korea national football team | |
| Hangul | 대한민국 축구 국가대표팀 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 大韓民國 蹴球 國家代表 |
| Revised Romanization | Daehan Min'guk Chukgu Gukga Daepyo Tim |
| McCune–Reischauer | Taehan Min'guk Ch'ukku Kukka Taep'yo T'im |
The Korea Republic national football team represents South Korea in international association football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association.
Since the 1960s, South Korea has emerged as a major football power in Asia and is historically the most successful Asian football team, having participated in eight consecutive and nine overall FIFA World Cup tournaments, the most for any Asian country. Despite initially going through five World Cup tournaments without winning a match, South Korea became the first and currently only Asian team to reach the semi-final stages when they co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan. They have since improved their ability to play on foreign soil and were able to reach the Round of 16 in the 2010 World Cup. South Korea won the first two AFC Asian Cup tournaments though they have been unable to win since, finishing second in 1972, 1980, 1988, and 2015, and third in 1964, 2000, 2007, and 2011. They also took the gold medal at the 1970, 1978, and 1986 Asian Games.
The team is commonly nicknamed "The Reds" by both fans and the media due to the color of their primary kit. The national team's supporting group is officially referred to as the Red Devils.
Koreans were not introduced to football until 1882, when British crew members played a game while their vessel was visiting the Incheon Port. In 1921, the first All Korea Football Tournament was held, and in 1928, The Korea Football Association was organized, which created a foundation to disseminate and develop football in Korea. In 1940, however, the Governor-General of Korea forced the Korea Football Association to dissolve.
Following the establishment of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Football Association (KFA) was reinstated in 1948 and joined FIFA, the international football governing body. The same year, the Korean national team made its international debut at the Olympic Games in London. The KFA joined the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) in 1954.
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