Talk is cheap, but the Korean national team's $163M valuation isn't.

The Korean national team is getting ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to kick off June 11 across 16 cities around Canada, Mexico and the United States. While some criticize that the players may not be in their best form, the numbers say otherwise. 

Korea's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup carries a combined market value of 140.2 million euros ($163 million) and ranks 29th among the 48 nations heading to North America this summer, per transfer-tracking site Transfermarkt as of Monday. That places head coach Hong Myung-bo's side second in Group A — behind the Czech Republic but ahead of co-host Mexico and South Africa — as Korea prepares for an 11th consecutive World Cup appearance. 

Market value reflects a player's current form, potential and commercial appeal, and moves in real time with performances and injuries. 

Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Lee Kang-in tops the Korean valuations at 28 million euros, accounting for roughly 20 percent of the entire squad's worth. Lee has rotated between starts and substitute appearances at the French champions while steadily lifting his stock.

Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae sits second at 25 million euros, followed by LAFC forward and team captain Son Heung-min at 17 million euros. Son's valuation has slid from a 2020 peak of 90 million euros, set during his Tottenham years, weighed down by his age — he is now 33 — and his move to the United States' MLS.

Besiktas striker Oh Hyeon-gyu, whose goal-scoring run in the Turkish league has doubled his price tag, ranks fourth at 15 million euros. Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan, 30, and Feyenoord midfielder Hwang In-beom, 30, share fifth at 8 million euros apiece. At the other end of the squad, surprise call-up Lee Gi-hyuk, a defender at Gangwon FC, is valued at just 600,000 euros.

The Czech Republic tops Group A with a combined market value of 176.8 million euros, some 36.6 million euros higher than Korea. Wolves defender and Czech captain Ladislav Krejci leads all Group A players at 22 million euros, with Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick and Lyon attacking midfielder Pavel Sulc tied behind him at 20 million euros apiece. The Czechs needed a European playoff win over Denmark to book their first World Cup berth in two decades but field players from across Europe's top five leagues.

Co-host Mexico ranks third in the group at 79.8 million euros, though the figure is misleading. It currently captures only the domestic-based players Mexico has called up so far. Once European-based regulars such as AC Milan striker Santiago Giménez, at 20 million euros, and Fenerbahce defensive midfielder Edson Álvarez, at 18 million euros, join the squad, Mexico is widely expected to leapfrog the Czech Republic.

South Africa props up Group A at 41.2 million euros, and Burnley striker Lyle Foster alone accounts for 10 million euros of that.

Across all 48 nations, England leads the field with a squad valued at 1.62 billion euros, stacked with names like Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham and Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. France and Spain follow in second and third, with squads worth roughly 1.5 billion and 1.3 billion euros, respectively.

At the individual level, Spain winger Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, France forward Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid and Norway striker Erling Haaland of Manchester City share top billing at 200 million euros each.

Market value is one measure of competitiveness, but it also doesn't mean everything. At the 2018 tournament in Russia, Korea beat Germany 2-0, even though the German squad's combined value at the time was more than 13 times higher.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY PARK LIN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]