Young-woo Seol
RB
Possession Builder
Dec 5, 1998 (27)
Right
6'0"
159 lb
Switch with four crosses and shot
Seol logged four crosses (two accurate), two chances created and one shot during the Korea Republic's 1-0 loss Wednesday against South Africa.
Analysis: Between the Koreans' preceding games, Seol was positioned right and left respectively. He reverted to the former side Wednesday, and at least numerically, his statistical output improved. For the 2026 World Cup, four crosses (two accurate) and two chances created mark Seol's tournament-high. The 27-year-old's latest shot is his second, but it was incredibly off-target, underscoring how inconsistent the wingback performed. Most notably, among Seol's nine crosses, only a third of them were accurate.
Changes sides, decent from left
Seol logged one shot (zero on goal) and two crosses (zero accurate) during South Korea's 1-0 loss Thursday at Mexico.
Analysis: For the South Koreans' group-stage opener, Seol was their right wingback. To make way for a less versatile Kim Moon-Hwan against Mexico, the aforementioned Seol changed positions to left wingback, replacing Lee Tae-Seok. The tactical change was not too bad for Seol, whose latest appearance newly included a goal-scoring opportunity, which he put wide. For a second consecutive appearance, the defender logged multiple crosses, which he has five of (one accurate) between group-stage games. Though the Koreans' wingback position is arguably their weakest this World Cup, Seol looks set role-wise, and finding someone who can work just as well is the objective.
Three crosses against Czech Republic
Seol logged three crosses (one accurate) and one chance created during Thursday's 2-1 win against the Czech Republic.
Analysis: South Korea using a three-defender formation with wing-backs meant Seol served as such on the right side Thursday against the Czechs. Only two Koreans logged more than two crosses, including an accurate attempt, the player pair including both wing-backs, Seol and Lee Tae-Seok. Even though Seol is dangerous on Korea's right flank, it is worth noting that the Reds' playmaking preference is through their central midfielders, Lee Kang-in and Hwang In-beom. This is best indicated by the fact that despite 62 percent possession and more than twice as many shots on goal, Korea attempted fewer crosses (12) than the Czechs (15). It would not be surprising that for the 2026 World Cup tournament, he serves as more supplementary of an offensive option compared to his teammates.
Two-way performer on right flank
Young-Woo is expected to serve as a wing-back with both attacking and defensive responsibilities throughout the World Cup.
Analysis: Young-Woo established himself as a regular starter during South Korea's World Cup qualifying campaign, providing one assist over 13 matches, and is expected to retain an important role in the upcoming tournament. The versatile defender can operate on either flank, though he's most likely to feature on the right side. His fantasy appeal could increase if South Korea continues to deploy a five-man back line, as seen in recent friendlies, which would allow him greater freedom to push forward. In that formation, Young-Woo should have more opportunities to contribute through crosses, chance creation and attacking involvement in the final third. During the latest club season, he stood out with two goals and five assists across 31 league appearances (30 starts) for Red Star Belgrade.
Select Player
Search and select a player to compare