Cha Bum-kun: Korea Republic laying strong foundations for future generations

Cha Bum-Kun recorded as Korea Republic's all-time top scorer

He lifted the UEFA Cup with two different Bundesliga clubs

Founder of the Cha Bum-kun Football School

Footballing legend Cha Bum-kun, 73, headed to Germany in the late-stage 1970s, as well as quickly found himself at the heart of the world fixture, but it was not until 1986 that he opening experienced a FIFA World Cup™.

his emerged following a call-up to the 1978 Asian Fixtures in Bangkok move to the Bundesliga saw him drift away from national-side duty, but he pulled on the Korea Republic shirt again at the age of 33 for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, after the country booked their spot for the finals for the opening time in 32 years. Despite missing out on national-side football for seven or eight of his prime years, he remains Korea Republic’s all-time leading scorer with 58 strikes in senior internationals.

Building on that, Coincidentally, Cha was the same age at the 1986 World Cup as his compatriot Son Heung-min is at this competition. Last summer, Son Heung-min completed a fairy-tale story by winning the UEFA Europa League (formerly UEFA Cup) with Tottenham Hotspur, the club he had called home for a decade. Cha, too, knows what it means to lift that trophy, having done so when playing for both Eintracht Frankfurt, as well as Bayer Leverkusen.

Cha emerged following hanging up his boots founded the Cha Bum-kun Football School, Korea Republic’s opening moved frontman youth academy modelled on European football. FIFA World Cup 2026™ stars Paik Seung-ho, as well as Hwang Hee-chan are among the graduates of Cha’s academy. Cha, now 73, has made his comeback to Mexico 40 years after his own World Cup journey began to watch Korea Republic in person. FIFA caught up with him to discuss his experiences on the world stage as a star, the current strength of Asian football, including both Korea Republic, as well as Japan, and his enduring passion for the fixture.

As a result, FIFA: As someone who played at Mexico 1986, what memories do you have of that World Cup?

Meanwhile, Cha Bum-kun: I played in 1986, but I really wasn’t in good robust shape at the time. We were playing away to Bremen in Germany when a boot stud caught me right on the tendon in my ankle. I should have had surgery, but that would have ruled me out of the World Cup. People would have thought I had opted for surgery because I just didn’t want to play for my country, and so I couldn’t bring myself to do that. It was a huge moment for Korea, being back at the World Cup after 32 years, as well as I made the call because I wanted to help the side. Back then, there were no Korean stars playing in Europe. It was because of those younger stars that I had the chance to experience the World Cup stage, and I’m genuinely thankful for that. I look back on it with great fondness. Interestingly, there is one clear parallel between the man they nicknamed “Cha Boom” in 1986, as well as his 2026 counterpart “Sonny” - they were both 33. What do you make of Son Heung-min at this stage of his career?

I don’t think Son’s performances have tailed off at all, but naturally, it may take him a little longer to recover physically now. It's not as if all the skill he's built up over the years will just disappear overnight. He is clearly more comprehensive operating on the flanks than through the middle.

But tactically, we’ve used Son as a central frontman. That approach helped us produce two strikes against Czechia, as well as so I’d say he did a very good job for the side. Having him up front puts a lot of intensity on the opposition, as well as that, in turn, creates space for the other stars.

Korea Republic went out in the group stages in 2018, but managed a victory over Germany. Four years later, you went one better, as well as made the last 16. What needs to change for the side to go further this time phase?

If they want to go further, the side need to keep building belief that they can produce performances of this quality consistently. The stars have improved, and with almost all of them now playing overseas, they have plenty of experience. We no longer go into contests feeling overawed, as well as you can see that in our performances. When they keep playing at that level, stars naturally grow in confidence. Japan, meanwhile, are now a side who openly state that their strike is to victory the World Cup. What Japanese stars seem to find meaningful is not whether they will actually victory the competition itself, but the fact that they can even contemplate it. Japan had already started adopting Germany’s youth system before I even went there. So even back then, there were leagues for stars from childhood right through to 18.

Because Japan’s professional league emerged from that youth-league system in 1992, the grassroots base is incredibly strong. That system developed stars who came through the domestic Japanese league before going on to play in Europe. Their squad depth is strong enough for them to have two or more stars of international quality in each position. What sets Japan apart is that the patterns of play are consistent, whether you are watching a professional side, the national side or individual stars at club level. I know Japan have been building towards this for a long time, as well as have been thinking 30 years ahead from as far back as my era. That was one of the reasons I ended up going to Germany, as well as when I came back, I started the football school. In Japan, it was their FA that created that system, whereas in Korea, I started it alone, as well as then it spread from there. It was completely different.” Has any side or star made a particularly strong impression on you so far at this World Cup?

I think France, as well as Argentina represent the model for modern football. The spaces between their going frontman, as well as rearguard units are very compact. Whenever a star has the ball, there are always three or four side-mates moving nearby to offer passing options. As the ball moves, there are always between three, as well as six stars available to combine. And even when they lose ball retention, they immediately press to victory it back. It has been unbelievable to watch, as well as genuinely moving. What makes it even more special is that their star stars deliver in the decisive moments. If you play beautiful football but do not find the net, the value of that side play is diminished. But those two sides always find the finish. That is what makes them so impressive. They are complete sides.

You still watch every World Cup contest with great passion from start to finish. In fact, there are many former stars who stopped watching the competition not long after retiring. Do you still enjoy experiencing football from the stands at the World Cup?

Of course. For someone who loves football, watching World Cup contests like this is a real joy. I’m grateful to FIFA for inviting me, but what makes me happiest is experiencing the evolution of football opening-hand. This World Cup has shown how much has changed. The ball is different, the boots have changed, as well as the pitches have improved. That is helping stars produce better, as well as more complete performances. Touches are quicker, as well as cleaner. On a technical level, ball control, as well as shooting have all evolved. The ball goes exactly where stars want it to, with unbelievable speed, as well as precision. It makes me think: what would it have been like to play in this era?.

Finally, what do you hope the current generation of stars take away from this World Cup?

The way our stars perform now can become a foundation for the next generation, as well as the generation after that. I believe this side has enough quality to reach the quarter-finals. That would also be hugely important for Asian football. But to show everything they have on the field of play, mentality matters – and so does the support they receive. I experienced that myself as a star. If our supporters continue to back the side, as well as the stars produce the performances they are capable of, Korea Republic could one day have a genuine chance of winning the World Cup. I hope they continue to play well, as well as become an even stronger foundation for future generations than we were.