ESPN: Hwang In-beom as influential as Son Heung-min, will shape South Korea's World Cup fate

South Korea midfielder Hwang In-beom, 30, of Feyenoord has been spotlighted as a pivotal player who could determine the national team's fortunes at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.

According to ESPN on Sunday, Hwang proved just as influential as Son Heung-min during South Korea's World Cup qualifying campaign.

"When Hwang In-beom's name appeared on the final roster, South Korea's World Cup expectations grew with it," the outlet said.

Hwang suffered an ankle injury at Feyenoord in March that ended his club season early. The timing was particularly worrying for South Korea — starting defensive midfielder Park Yong-woo had already been ruled out with an injury, and Baek Seung-ho's availability was also in doubt. ESPN noted the relief that followed: "With both Hwang In-beom and Baek Seung-ho dramatically making the squad, Hong Myung-bo could breathe a sigh of relief."

ESPN said that while Hwang draws less attention than stars such as Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in, he has consistently proven his quality in major European leagues.

"Off the pitch he is quiet and humble, but on it he is efficient and composed," the outlet said.

ESPN described Hwang as a rare traditional central midfielder in the modern game. Rather than excelling in one dominant skill, he performs evenly across defending, pressing, passing and game management.

The outlet particularly highlighted his pre-assist ability, noting that Hwang is typically the one who breaks down the opposition defense before the decisive attacking moments of Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Lee Jae-sung.

ESPN also analyzed how Hwang serves as the critical link between defense and attack — while Park Yong-woo circulates the ball in front of the back line and Lee Jae-sung hunts for chances up front, Hwang connects the two phases.

The outlet also examined how Hwang's role could shift with tactical changes under coach Hong. If South Korea deploys a 5-2-3 formation — as seen in recent friendlies — instead of the usual 4-3-3, the absence of a specialist defensive midfielder would increase Hwang's defensive workload. His control in the build-up phase, however, would remain unchanged.

"When Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in begin their runs forward, it will almost certainly be a sharp pass from Hwang In-beom that sets them off," ESPN said. "On the World Cup stage, he will orchestrate the flow of the game from the center and guide South Korea's fate."

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https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/10760856