Today (May 16th), the members of the South Korean national team for the FIFA World Cup 2026, to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, were announced.
From Kashima Antlers, Kim Tae-hyeon was selected.
Comment from Kim Tae-hyeon
“I am delighted to be selected for the World Cup squad for the first time. If I get to play in the matches, I want to use my strengths and contribute to the South Korean national team. Above all, I believe this selection is thanks to everyone involved with Kashima Antlers. I am always proud of the great cheers and support from our fans and supporters. I will fight with all my might at the World Cup!”
(Added on May 20, 2026, for media response)
—Congratulations on your selection. What are your honest feelings about being selected?
I am very happy that I was able to fulfill my dream, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has been involved, not just my own strength, and to all the teams for helping me get this far.
—The announcement was on the 16th, I believe. When and how did you find out?
It was the day before the away match against Chiba, so I found out on the bus during the journey, but I was focused on the next day's match, so I waited without thinking too much about it.
—You mentioned "dream" earlier. What does the World Cup mean to you?
Any soccer player around the world considers the World Cup a dream stage. Honestly, I wanted to participate in the previous tournament as soon as possible, but being selected for this tournament is an opportunity to make my presence known to the world, so I want to perform well.
—How have your activities and experiences at Kashima led to this point?
There have been many changes since I came to Kashima, but first and foremost, my experiences at Vegalta Sendai and Sagan Tosu, my first teams after coming to Japan, were very significant, so I am truly grateful to both of those teams. And I believe that the various experiences I gained at Kashima led to this selection.
—Specifically, what are some memorable experiences from your time at Kashima?
Coming to Kashima, of course, the atmosphere, and especially the attitude towards each match, those experiences were very significant, and I strongly feel that the environment at Kashima changed me.
—This time, you and Hayakawa were selected from Kashima, albeit for different teams. What are your thoughts on that?
I think it's a great thing that Hayakawa is also going to the World Cup, but we didn't achieve this by ourselves. I want to thank all the staff involved, the club officials, and my teammates. We didn't achieve this alone; I believe we were selected because of everyone's support.