Sabasports Match Preview
World Cup: South Korea vs Czech Republic
Kickoff Time: 2026-6-12 10:00 (HKT)
As one of Asia’s earliest World Cup participants, South Korea have qualified for the World Cup finals for 11 consecutive editions. Nearly half of the players in their current squad ply their trade in European leagues, including several key stars playing across Europe’s top five leagues. The so-called golden generation led by Son Heung-min is set to make their final World Cup appearance, while the mid-generation players spearheaded by Lee Kang-in will step up to carry the team forward. South Korea adopt a 3-4-2-1 formation with a defensive-focused setup. They rely on numerical advantage at the back to solidify their defence, though this inevitably dents their attacking threat. Now in the latter stages of his career, Son Heung-min can no longer cut through opposing defences down the flanks. The veteran operates primarily as a second striker through the middle. Currently, South Korea build their attacks by combining the talents of star players including Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Lee Jae-sung in central areas to penetrate the opposition penalty box.
After a 20-year absence, the Czech Republic are back on the World Cup stage. The Eastern European side secured their spot at the 2026 World Cup after a narrow victory in the play-offs. Most of their squad feature in Europe’s major leagues, with prominent top-flight talents such as Tomáš Souček, Patrik Schick, Vladimír Coufal and Adam Hlozek. The Czech Republic’s tactical strength lies in midfield. Tomáš Souček acts as the team’s defensive shield. Renowned in the Premier League for his exceptional stamina, he covers over 12 kilometres per game and excels in aerial duels and interceptions. Thirty-five-year-old midfielder Vladimír Darida is the engine linking attack and defence. Standing at just 171 centimetres, he boasts quick footwork, solid balance, superb passing vision and dribbling skills, earning him the nickname “Czech Luka Modrić”. Leading the attack is 30-year-old Patrik Schick, who scored five goals during the qualifying campaign. With 25 goals in 52 caps, he ranks fourth on the Czech Republic’s all-time top scorers list.
The two sides are evenly matched in overall strength. However, South Korea have a notable disadvantage in height, while the Czech Republic post an average height above 185 centimetres, typical of Eastern European teams. Their physical edge makes counter-attacks and set pieces effective weapons to exploit South Korea’s weaknesses. All things considered, the physically tough Czech Republic are tipped to pick up points in this fixture.
South Korea ‘s Last 5 Games: WWLLD
26-06-04 South Korea 1-0 El Salvador
26-05-31 South Korea 5-0 Trinidad and Tobago
26-04-01 Austria 1-0 South Korea
26-03-28 South Korea 0-4 Ivory Coast
25-11-18 South Korea 1-0 Ghana
Czech Republic ‘s Last 5 Games: WWDDW
26-06-05 Czech Republic 3-1 Guatemala
26-05-31 Czech Republic 2-1 Kosovo
26-04-01 Czech Republic 2-2 Denmark
26-03-27 Czech Republic 2-2 Ireland
25-11-18 Czech Republic 6-0 Gibraltar
Head-To-Head Record
16-06-05 Czech Republic 1-2 South Korea
Prediction: Czech Republic win away or draw