Competitive record
| CONCACAF Gold Cup record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
 2000 | Group stage | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Squad |
| 2002 | Fourth place | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | Squad |
| Total | Fourth place | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 2/2 |
This article is a record of South Korea's results at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The CONCACAF Gold Cup is North America's major tournament, but nations from other confederations could enter the Gold Cup as invitees in select editions.
South Korea participated in the 2000 and 2002 tournament to prepare for the 2002 FIFA World Cup hosted by them. [1] [2] [3] They and Qatar are the only Asian teams to ever participate in the North American continental championships. In seven matches, South Korea failed to win a single one in regular time, but won fourth place in 2002 after advancing to the knockout stage with only one point to their name and defeating Mexico on penalties in the quarter-finals. Two years prior, they were eliminated after the group stage per coin toss. Canada advanced instead and eventually won the 2000 edition.
| CONCACAF Gold Cup record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 2000 | Group stage | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Squad |
| 2002 | Fourth place | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | Squad |
| Total | Fourth place | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 2/2 |
| Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Canada | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
 Costa Rica | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 0.00 |
 Cuba | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.00 |
 Mexico | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.00 |
| United States | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
| Total | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 0.00 |
Lee Young-pyo is the only player who was fielded in all seven of South Korea's Gold Cup matches. In 2002, Song Chong-gug was the only player to play through the entirety of Korea's fourth-place-run. In the same year, Kim Nam-il was voted into the tournament's Best XI, becoming the first and only Asian player to be honoured at a North American continental championship.
| Rank | Player | Caps | Minutes | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee Young-pyo | 7 | 588 | 2000, 2002 |
| 2 | Kim Tae-young | 6 | 570 | 2000, 2002 |
| 3 | Song Chong-gug | 5 | 480 | 2002 |
| Lee Eul-yong | 5 | 370 | 2002 | |
| 5 | Kim Nam-il | 4 | 383 | 2002 |
| Cha Du-ri | 4 | 372 | 2002 | |
| Kim Byung-ji | 4 | 360 | 2000, 2002 | |
| Choi Jin-cheul | 4 | 356 | 2002 | |
| Yoo Sang-chul | 4 | 330 | 2000, 2002 | |
| Kim Do-keun | 4 | 228 | 2002 | |
| Lee Dong-gook | 4 | 220 | 2000, 2002 | |
Five players have scored one goal each at the tournaments. Three of them have been scored against Costa Rica.
| Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee Min-sung | 1 | 1 | 2000 |
| Kim Do-hoon | 1 | 4 | 2002 | |
| Choi Jin-cheul | 1 | 4 | 2002 | |
| Lee Dong-gook | 1 | 4 | 2000, 2002 | |
| Song Chong-gug | 1 | 5 | 2002 |
|  | |
| 15 FebruaryGroup D | South Korea  | 0–0 | Canada | Los Angeles |
| 17 FebruaryGroup D | South Korea | 2–2 | Costa Rica | Los Angeles |
|
| Group D table | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Costa Rica | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Canada | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 3 |  South Korea | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| | |
| 19 JanuaryGroup B | United States | 2–1 | South Korea | Los Angeles |
|
| 23 JanuaryGroup B | South Korea | 0–0 | Cuba | San Francisco |
| Group B table | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | United States | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | South Korea | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | –1 | 1 | |
| 3 | Cuba | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | –1 | 1 | |
| 27 JanuaryQuarter-finals | South Korea | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) | Mexico | Los Angeles |
| Penalties | ||||
| 30 JanuarySemi-finals | South Korea | 1–3 | Costa Rica | Anaheim |
|
| 2 FebruaryThird place match | South Korea | 1–2 | Canada | San Diego |
|
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The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the continental champions of North America. The Gold Cup is held every two years. The tournament succeeded the CONCACAF Championship (1963–1989), with its inaugural edition being held in 1991.
The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT) represents the United States in men's international soccer competitions. The team is governed by the United States Soccer Federation, which is a member of FIFA and CONCACAF.
The Mexico national football team represents Mexico in international football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation. It competes as a member of CONCACAF.
The Honduras national football team represents Honduras in men's international football. The team is governed by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras. They are nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor, or La H.
The Costa Rica national football team represents Costa Rica in men's international football. The national team is administered by the Costa Rican Football Federation (FEDEFUTBOL), the governing body for football in Costa Rica. It has been a member of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) since 1927, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) since 1961, and a member of the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) since 1990.
The El Salvador national football team, known as La Selecta, represents El Salvador in international football, and is governed by the Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT).
The Guatemala national football team represents Guatemala in men's international football and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it has been affiliated to FIFA since 1946, as a member of CONCACAF.
The Panama national football team represents Panama in men's international football and is governed by the Panamanian Football Federation. The team represents all three FIFA, CONCACAF and the regional UNCAF.
The Guadeloupe national football team represents the French overseas department and region of Guadeloupe in men's international football. The team is controlled by the Ligue guadeloupéenne de football, a local branch of French Football Federation.
The Mexico women's national football team represents Mexico in international women's football. The team is governed by the Mexican Football Federation and competes within CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. It has won three gold medals in the Central American and Caribbean Games and a gold medal in the Pan American Games, as well as a silver and bronze in the Women's World Cup prior to FIFA's recognition of the women's game. In addition to its senior team, Mexico also has U-20, U-17, and U-15 teams. The U-17 team reached the final of the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, and the U-15 cohort earned the bronze medal in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.
The CONCACAF W Championship is a women's association football competition for national teams organized by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) that often serves as the qualifying competition to the Women's World Cup, and recently the Olympics. In years when the tournament has been held outside the World Cup qualifying cycle, non-CONCACAF members have been invited. CONCACAF is the governing body for football for North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The most successful country has been the United States, winning their ninth title in 2022.
The history of the United States men's national soccer team began with that team's first international match in 1916. Highlights from the team's early history include reaching the semifinals of the inaugural 1930 World Cup, and defeating England in a remarkable upset in the 1950 World Cup.
The United States U-17 women's national soccer team is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is the development of players in preparation for the senior national team. The team's most recent major tournament was the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, in which the United States team won bronze. The team competes in a variety of competitions, including the biennial FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, which is the top competition for this age group.
The Costa Rica women's national football team represents Costa Rica in women's international football. The national team is controlled by the governing body Costa Rican Football Federation. They are one of the top women's national football teams in the Central American region along with Guatemala and Panama.
The Panama women's national football team represents Panama in international women's football. The team is overseen by the Federación Panameña de Fútbol. Panama has made four appearances at the CONCACAF Women's Championship, with their best result being the semi-final finish in 2018. In 2023, Panama made their debut in the FIFA Women's World Cup, finishing last in Group F.
Association football is the most popular sport in almost all North, Central American and Caribbean countries, and eleven members of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, CONCACAF, have competed at the sport's biggest event – the men's FIFA World Cup.
In association football, the term Hexagonal was often used to refer to the final round of FIFA World Cup qualification among the six remaining teams in CONCACAF. The six-team round robin format was used by CONCACAF since the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification process, up until the 2018 tournament. For 2022, this round was expanded to eight teams or an octagonal. It was modeled after the CONCACAF Championship which used the format ever since its second edition in 1965, and served as the World Cup qualifying tournament from 1974 to 1990.
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is North America's major tournament in senior men's football and determines the continental champion. Until 1989, the tournament was known as CONCACAF Championship. It is currently held every two years. In earlier editions, the continental championship was held in different countries, but since the inception of the Gold Cup in 1991, the United States are constant hosts or co-hosts.
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is North America's major tournament in senior men's soccer and determines the continental champion. Until 1989, the CONCACAF Championship was the regions' primary competition. It is currently held every two years. In earlier editions, the continental championship was held in different countries, but since the inception of the Gold Cup in 1991, the United States have hosted or co-hosted every tournament. Since then it has expanded to more countries in North America.
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is North America's major tournament in senior men's football and determines the continental champion. Until 1989, the tournament was known as CONCACAF Championship. It is currently held every two years. From 1996 to 2005, nations from other confederations have regularly joined the tournament as invitees. In earlier editions, the continental championship was held in different countries, but since the inception of the Gold Cup in 1991, the United States are constant hosts or co-hosts.
