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The UK National Lottery announced a £8.7 million Lotto jackpot and a £500,000 Thunderball prize on July 23 2025, with over 97,000 winners sharing more than £1.1 million.
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On November 18, 2025, South Korea national football team punched its ticket to football history — not with a roar, but with a single, quiet goal. Lee Tae-seok of Austria Vienna slotted home in the 63rd minute, assisted by Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain, sealing a 1-0 win over Ghana at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The result wasn’t just a win. It was the final piece of a puzzle that had been building since July 2024: South Korea’s first-ever qualification for Pot 2 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage draw. And it came under the steady, sometimes stern, hand of Hong Myung-bo, the 55-year-old legend turned coach who’s rewriting the nation’s football narrative.
Hong Myung-bo didn’t just return to manage South Korea — he came back to finish what he started. His first stint as head coach ended in humiliation after a winless 2014 World Cup. This time, he’s turned disappointment into destiny. Appointed on July 8, 2024, by the Korea Football Association, he inherited a team struggling to find identity. Critics doubted him. The association’s president, Chung Mong-gyu, had favored foreign coaches. But Hong’s reputation — as the captain who led South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semifinals and later guided the Olympic team to bronze in 2012 — gave him the credibility to push through.
Since his return, his record speaks louder than doubt: 12 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses across all competitions. In the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers, he guided South Korea through ten matches without a single defeat — six wins, four draws. No other Asian team can say that. He didn’t just qualify. He dominated.
The path to Pot 2 wasn’t paved with glamour. It was built on grit. In September, South Korea scraped a win and a draw in the U.S. — a rare feat for any Asian side. October brought a loss in Qatar and a narrow win in Saudi Arabia. But November? That’s when everything clicked.
On November 14, at Daejeon World Cup Stadium, South Korea crushed Bolivia 2-0. Then, four days later, the real test: Ghana, ranked 72nd but dangerous on the counter. The first half was a mess. Hong Myung-bo watched his team lose control of midfield, fire just one shot on target. He didn’t yell. He changed. Substituted Kim Jin-kyu and Seo Min-woo at halftime. The shift was subtle but seismic. The second half? Pressure. Discipline. Precision.
"Despite beating Ghana, the match didn’t go the way we wanted it," Hong admitted afterward. "We failed to solve the game in the midfield." But he didn’t hide the truth: they solved it enough. And that’s all that mattered.
For the first time since FIFA introduced pot seeding in 1998, South Korea isn’t a team fearing Brazil or Germany. They’re now in the same group as Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, and Japan. Pot 1? That’s the giants: United States, Mexico, Canada, Spain, France, Brazil, England, Germany. Pot 2? That’s the team South Korea used to lose to — now, their peers.
With a global ranking of 22nd — up from 34th in 2023 — South Korea’s placement isn’t luck. It’s legitimacy. The 2026 FIFA World Cup group draw on December 6, 2025, will determine whether they face Uruguay or Senegal, not Argentina or Portugal. That’s not just better odds. That’s a chance to advance.
Hong doesn’t believe in copying Europe. "The world of football is changing rapidly," he told FIFA.com, "but it’s even more important for us to establish and stay true to our own football philosophy." That means speed, technical precision, and mental toughness — qualities he says are deeply rooted in Korean culture. He’s leaned hard on Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, the two stars who carry the team’s offensive load. But critics say the system still lacks depth. When those two are marked, South Korea often struggles to create.
"They’re over-reliant on individual form," noted Korea JoongAng Daily. "If Son doesn’t get space, the whole attack stalls." Hong knows this. That’s why he’s been pushing younger players like Lee Tae-seok and Kim Jin-kyu into key roles. The win over Ghana wasn’t about brilliance. It was about resilience.
The World Cup draw is just weeks away. After that, Hong’s team will begin a final preparation camp, likely in Spain or Portugal, to simulate the climate and intensity of North American venues. The goal isn’t just to survive the group stage. It’s to make history — to win a knockout match for the first time since 2010, and perhaps even reach the quarterfinals again.
For South Korea, this isn’t just about football. It’s about belief. After decades of near-misses and underachievement, they’ve finally earned a seat at the table. Not as underdogs. Not as wildcards. But as a team that belongs.
South Korea qualified for Pot 2 by finishing among the top 12 ranked Asian teams in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, combined with their strong FIFA ranking of 22nd as of November 2025. Their undefeated record in the Asian qualifiers (6W, 4D) and consecutive November 2025 friendly wins over Bolivia and Ghana boosted their standing. Pot 2 includes teams ranked 13–24 globally, and South Korea’s rise from 34th in 2023 made this historic placement possible.
In past World Cups, South Korea was often drawn into groups with heavyweights like Brazil or Germany, making progression nearly impossible. Pot 2 means they’ll face teams like Croatia or Uruguay instead — still tough, but winnable. This dramatically improves their chances of advancing to the knockout stage, something they’ve only done twice since 2002. It’s the first time they’ve been considered a legitimate contender, not just a dark horse.
Hong’s current approach emphasizes tactical discipline, high pressing, and rapid transitions — a stark contrast to the defensive, counter-attacking style of his 2013–14 tenure. He now integrates more structured midfield play and uses data analytics to adjust formations mid-match. His focus on mental resilience, drawn from his own 2002 World Cup experience, has helped the team stay composed under pressure, as seen in their narrow wins against Ghana and Bolivia.
Son Heung-min (LAFC) remains the talisman, but Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) has emerged as the creative engine, providing 7 assists in qualifiers. Youngster Lee Tae-seok, who scored the decisive goal against Ghana, has become a reliable finisher. Midfielders like Hwang In-beom and Kim Min-jae have stabilized the backline and transition play. The team’s strength lies in its balance — no single player dominates, but no one is easily replaced either.
The biggest challenge is depth. While the starting XI is strong, the bench lacks consistent performers in key positions, particularly central midfield and left-back. Injuries or suspensions could expose tactical gaps. Hong has been rotating younger players in friendlies, but the real test will come when they face physical, organized European sides in the tournament. Building match fitness and chemistry among reserves is now his top priority.
South Korea is the only Asian team to qualify for Pot 2 in 2026. Japan (ranked 24th) narrowly missed it, while Iran (27th) and Australia (28th) are in Pot 3. This marks a significant shift: for the first time, South Korea is ranked higher than Japan in FIFA standings. Their undefeated qualifying campaign and consistent results against South American opponents like Bolivia and Ghana set them apart as Asia’s most complete team heading into 2026.
Hi, I'm Caspian Beaumont, a sports enthusiast with a passion for motorsports. As a former professional race car driver, I have firsthand knowledge of the adrenaline and excitement that comes with high-speed racing. Now, I channel my expertise and love for the sport into writing articles and providing in-depth analysis on various aspects of motorsports. My ultimate goal is to share my passion and bring awareness to the world of racing, inspiring others to join me on this thrilling journey.
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