United Koreans in Japan official football team

United Koreans in Japan
Association United Korean Football Association in Japan
Confederation ConIFA
Head coach An Yong-hak
Most caps Shin Yong-ki (11)
Top scorer Tae An-sung (4)
Home stadium Akabane Park Stadium
First international
Korea Zainichi Korea 1–0 Székely Land Székely Land
(Sukhumi, Abkhazia; 30 May 2016)
Biggest win
Ryūkyū Kingdom Ryūkyū 0–9 Zainichi Korea Korea
(Nakagusuku, Japan; 26 November 2016)
Biggest defeat
KoreaZainichi Korea 0–3 Iraqi Kurdistan 
(Sukhumi, Abkhazia; 31 May 2016)
ConIFA World Football Cup
Appearances 2 (first in 2016)
Best result Quarter-finals (7th), 2016

The United Koreans in Japan official football team represents the Korean population living in Japan, also known as Zainichi Koreans. The team represents players holding passports from both North Korea and South Korea. The team, run by the United Korean Football Association in Japan (UKFAJ), joined ConIFA in 2015, and played its first matches at the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup.[1]

History

The national team grew out of the local football club for Koreans in Japan, FC Korea, which formed in 1961 and currently plays in the Kanto Soccer League, and is still the base of the national team. Upon its formation, it joined ConIFA, and became one of the Asian teams invited to play at the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup on 9 January 2016. The team progressed to the quarter finals after beating Székely Land 1-0 in the group stages, but lost on penalties to Northern Cyprus, thus putting them in the placement rounds, where they eventually finished 7th in the overall competition.

In 2018 they were confirmed as participating in the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup. For the tournament, they appointed former North Korean international An Yong-hak as player-manager.

Matches

Current squad

The following players were called up to the squad to face Panjab, Western Armenia and Kabylie at the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup in London from 31 May to 10 June.[2]

Caps and goals correct as of 1 May 2018, when the squad was announced.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Lim Hyo-geum (1996-05-03) 3 May 1996 0 0 Japan Kwansei Gakuin University
25 1GK Shim Woo-dae (1985-01-24) 24 January 1985 0 0 Unattached
2 2DF Shin Yong-ki (1993-04-14) 14 April 1993 11 0 Japan FC Korea
13 2DF Kim Sun-ji (1994-12-05) 5 December 1994 5 0 Japan FC Korea
5 2DF Hong Yun-guk (1995-02-11) 11 February 1995 0 0 Japan FC Tokushima
6 2DF Son Min-chol (1986-10-27) 27 October 1986 0 0 Hong Kong Lee Man FC
17 2DF An Yong-hak (1978-10-25) 25 October 1978 0 0 Unattached
20 2DF Kang Yoo-jun (1998-05-08) 8 May 1998 0 0 United States Monroe Mustangs
28 3MF Ken Tamiyama (1995-12-29) 29 December 1995 10 0 Japan FC Tokushima
4 3MF Ko Ji-hwang (1995-03-02) 2 March 1995 0 0 Japan FC Tokushima
7 3MF Lee Tong-jun (1993-06-25) 25 June 1993 0 0 Japan Arawore Hachikita
8 3MF Choi Gwang-yeon (1987-12-23) 23 December 1987 0 0 Japan FC Korea
10 3MF Yun Song-i (1980-01-29) 29 January 1980 0 0 Unattached
14 3MF Byun Yeong-jang (1988-11-01) 1 November 1988 0 0 Japan Tokyo United
18 3MF Lee Tong-soung (1999-03-01) 1 March 1999 0 0 England Staines Town
21 3MF Hong Te-il (1988-05-24) 24 May 1988 0 0 Unattached
26 3MF Mun Su-hyeon (1995-08-06) 6 August 1995 0 0 Japan FC Korea
11 4FW Shin Yong-ju (1996-01-01) 1 January 1996 0 0 Japan FC Korea

References

  1. ↑ UKJ Profile ConIFA
  2. ↑ United Koreans in Japan squad ConIFA
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