"It Wasn't the World Cup I Had Dreamed Of"... 'Mixed-Race Taegeuk Warrior' Jens Reflects on the Tournament

[Financial News] The South Korea national football team, led by Hong Myung-bo, failed to advance past the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Amid that disappointment, Jens Castrop, 23, of Borussia Mönchengladbach, who played in his first World Cup, shared his thoughts.
On the 28th, Castrop wrote on his Instagram, "It is a disappointing result. It was not the World Cup I had dreamed of, but it was a journey I will never forget."
He said, "When I think about the effort, sacrifice and belief we poured into this journey, I truly believe we deserved more." He added, "But sometimes football is like this."
He continued, "I sincerely thank everyone who supported us every step of the way." He said, "I will learn from this experience, come back stronger and keep fighting." He also emphasized, "This is only the beginning."
Meanwhile, the South Korea national football team, led by Hong, finished third in Group A of the North and Central America World Cup with one win and two losses, falling short of the round of 32. The team had hoped to secure one of the nine knockout-stage spots awarded to the best third-place teams, but elimination was confirmed on the 28th, Korea time.
Castrop, born to a Korean mother and a German father, received his first call-up from Hong last September and wore the Taegeuk mark.
There was a defender, Jang Dae-il, who was born to a Korean mother and a British father and played at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but he was born in Korea. Castrop is the first foreign-born mixed-race player to appear at a World Cup for South Korea's men's national team.
He made his World Cup debut in the third Group A match against South Africa on the 25th, Korea time, at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Nuevo León, Mexico, coming on at the start of the second half. However, South Korea lost 1-0 that day, ending his tournament appearance.
After the match, Castrop met reporters in the mixed zone and said, "I am happy to have made my World Cup debut, but unfortunately the team lost 1-0." He added, "It is really disappointing."
He went on to say, "On the goal, I did not close my legs in time when the opponent took the shot, and we ended up conceding." He added, "That was my mistake."
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Su-yeon Reporter