What Korea's jersey numbers say about its World Cup stars
2026.06.11 09:01
Captain Son Heung-min wears No. 7, while striker Cho Gue-seung dons No. 9
| South Korea captain Son Heung-min in his No. 7 jersey (Son's Instagram) |
With the FIFA World Cup 2026 just around the corner, soccer fans across South Korea are once again dreaming of another memorable run on the sport’s biggest stage.
Yet beyond the names emblazoned across the players’ backs, another detail often carries a story of its own: the numbers.
In soccer, those numbers are rarely random. Sometimes they are tied to specific roles on the pitch, but they can also relate to a players brand or personal stories.
Among the current South Korean men’s national team, several of the most recognizable numbers belong to the country's biggest stars.
| South Korea captain Son Heung-min in his No. 7 jersey (Son's Instagram) |
If there is one shirt number most Korean fans instantly recognize, it is No. 7.
Worn by captain Son Heung-min, the number has become synonymous with Korea's greatest footballer of his generation.
Traditionally, No. 7 has been worn by right-sided attacking players known for their pace, flair and ability to change matches in an instant. Over the years, stars such as David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have helped turn the number into one of football's most iconic shirt numbers.
That legacy now belongs to Son in Korea.
| Son Heung-min in his LAFC's No. 7 jersey (Son's Instagram) |
For more than a decade, Son, 33, who plays for Los Angeles FC, has been the face of Korean football, delivering some of the national team’s most memorable moments, from his goal in Korea’s famous victory over Germany at the 2018 World Cup to captaining the side’s run to the round of 16 in Qatar four years later.
In June 2022, he earned his 100th international cap, becoming the 16th Korean player to join the FIFA Century Club. He made his senior international debut in December 2010 at 18. The 33-year-old has so far made 143 appearances and netted 56 goals for his country.
While the No. 7 shirt is often associated with creative attacking players, No. 9 has long been reserved for the striker leading the attack.
| Cho Gue-seung in his No. 9 jersey (Cho's Instagram) |
For Korea, that responsibility has fallen on striker Cho Gue-seung. Cho, 29, currently plays forward for the Danish football club Midtjylland.
Every World Cup has a way of creating new stars, with some players using a handful of memorable performances to earn lucrative moves to bigger clubs. Cho was one of them.
Cho rose to national stardom at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He scored two goals in Korea’s 3-2 loss to Ghana, becoming the first Korean player to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match. The performance propelled him from a relatively little-known K League forward into one of Korea's breakout stars of the tournament.
| Cho Gue-seung in his No. 9 jersey (Cho's Instagram) |
Over the course of the tournament, Cho’s Instagram following surged from roughly 20,000 to nearly 2 million, earning him a K-pop-style fandom. His appearances at the World Cup led to a career breakthrough, securing a transfer to FC Midtjylland in Denmark in 2023.
Few numbers in football carry as much symbolism as the No. 10. That’s because the team’s primary playmaker, attacking midfielder or star forward wears the number. Traditionally reserved for a team's most gifted playmaker, the shirt has been worn by legends such as Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
| Lee Jae-sung in his No. 10 jersey (Lee's Instagram) |
The shirt has long been worn by players capable of seeing passes others cannot and producing moments of inspiration when matches hang in the balance.
For South Korea, midfielder Lee Jae-sung has frequently filled that role.
Unlike the traditional image of a No. 10 built around dazzling dribbles and spectacular goals, Lee represents a more modern interpretation of the role.
Renowned for his football intelligence, movement and work rate, Lee is a creative midfielder who excels at linking play and creating opportunities for the attackers ahead of him.
| Lee Jae-sung in his No. 10 jersey (Lee's Instagram) |
The veteran midfielder’s ability to read the game and influence matches through positioning and decision-making has made him a natural fit for one of football's most prestigious shirt numbers.
A close friend of Son’s, Lee, previously represented the country at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
While many shirt numbers are steeped in football tradition, others tell stories that extend beyond the pitch.
| Lee Tae-seok (Lee's Instagram) |
Some are chosen for deeply personal reasons.
For left back Lee Tae-seok, No. 13 serves as a link to one of the most celebrated chapters in Korean football history.
The 23-year-old is the son of Lee Eul-yong, a member of the squad that famously reached the 2002 World Cup semifinals. No. 13 was the senior Lee's jersey number.
While carrying the same number, the younger Lee, who made his senior international debut in November 2024, hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps with a stellar World Cup run.
저작권 보호를 위해 본문의 일부만 표시됩니다.
원문 보기 →댓글 (0)
첫 번째 댓글을 작성해보세요!
cristiano ronaldo의 다른 소식
모든 소식을 불러왔습니다