South Korea national football team
The South Korea national football team (; recognized as Korea Republic by FIFA) represents South Korea in men's international football and is governed by the Korea Football Association. South Korea has developed and emerged as a major football power in Asia since the 1980s and is historically the most successful Asian football team, having participated in nine consecutive and ten overall FIFA World Cup tournaments, the most for any Asian country. Despite initially going through five World Cup tournaments without winning a match, South Korea became the only Asian team to reach the semi-final  stages when they co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan. South Korea also won two AFC Asian Cup titles, and finished as runners-up on four occasions. Furthermore, the team won three gold medals and three silver medals at the senior Asian Games. The team is commonly nicknamed the "Reds" by both fans and the media due to the color of their primary kit. The national team's supporting group is officially referred to as the Red Devils. Team image. Nicknames. The South Korea national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Taegeuk Warriors" () and the "Tigers of  Asia" (). Kits and crest. Red is the traditional shirt color of the South Korean national team, who are consequently nicknamed the "Reds", while the fans are called the "Red Devils". The away shirt has varied between white and blue. In 1994, the home shirt shifted from red to white, but in October 1995, red returned as home color, paired with black shorts. South Korea used to wear the South Korean flag as their shirt badge until 2001, when their tiger crest was unveiled. On 5 February 2020, the KFA announced a new, more simplistic logo. The emblem retained the tiger , albeit in a more minimalist design, enclosed in a rectangular frame. Red, blue and white, South Korea's traditional colors, have been maintained in the new logo. Home stadium. The South Korea national team played their first home match at the Dongdaemun Stadium on 21 April 1956. The match was a qualifier for the 1956 AFC Asian Cup against the Philippines. They currently play their home matches at several stadiums, which are also used by K League clubs. Rivalries. South Korea's greatest rival is Japan. This rivalry is an extension of a competitive rivalry between the two nations that  goes beyond football. Some matches in the past have been tainted with controversy. South Korea leads the all-time series with 42 wins, 23 draws and 15 losses. A rivalry has also developed with Iran. The two nations have played against each other officially since 1958, totalling 33 matches as of March 2022, including eleven World Cup qualifiers. South Korea and Iran were among the strongest Asian national teams during the 1960s and 1970s. Although the teams only had one chance to play against each other in the final match of the AFC Asian Cup, in 1972, they have faced  each other five consecutive times in the quarter-finals between 1996 and 2011, with each team recording two wins, two losses, and a draw. Iran leads the all-time series with 13 wins, 10 draws and 10 losses. Another major rival is Australia, and is also one of the most followed rivalries in Asia. South Korea trails behind Australia with 8 wins, 11 draws and 9 defeats. In major competitions, South Korea won only two official matches against Australia, and also lost in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup Final. South Korea has had great success against China, with China failing  to defeat them in 28 competitive matches before finally winning a game in 2010. They also possess a strong rivalry with North Korea, though matches are infrequent due to diplomatic and security reasons. Supporters. The official supporter group of the national team, the Red Devils, were founded in 1995. Known for their passionate support, they are commonly referred to as the 12th man. Their most common chant is "Dae-Han-Min-Guk" (; literally Republic of Korea or "Great Korea"), followed by five claps. The FIFA Fan Fest was introduced at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea. Recent results  and fixtures. The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled. Coaching staff. Manager history. A total of 51 managers managed South Korea during 80 appointments. Players. Current squad. The following players were called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Iran and United Arab Emirates on 24 and 29 March 2022, respectively. "Caps and goals updated as of 29 March 2022, after the match against United Arab Emirates." Recent call-ups. The following players have also been called up to the South  Korea squad within the last twelve months. Notable former players. The following players were inducted into the KFA Hall of Fame, or were selected for the Korean Best XI of All Time in one or more surveys. Records. Top goalscorers. Players in bold are still active, at least at club level. Competitive record. Champions   Runners-up   Third place   Head-to-head record. The following table shows South Korea's head-to-head record, correct as of 29 March 2022.