South Korean captain Son Heung-min is set for his fourth career FIFA World Cup appearance in the team's opening Group A match against Czechia later Thursday in Mexico. Soccer fans enjoy a pre-game performance by the group Cortis at a street cheering stage set up at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on Friday morning, ahead of the Group A match between South Korea and Czechia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Yonhap) Son drew into the starting lineup at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, for the 8 p.m. kickoff. It will begin 11 a.m. Friday in South Korea.Son, along with starting goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, will tie three former players for the most World Cup appearances by a South Korean player with four apiece. Hong Myung-bo, the current national team head coach, former striker Hwang Sun-hong and ex-goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae also played at four World Cups. A South Korea fan outside the stadium before the Group A match between South Korea and Czechia at Estadio Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 11 (Reuters–Yonhap) Son is the most capped South Korean male player 143. He ranks second in the country's all-time rankings with 54 international goals, four behind former star Cha Bum-kun.Son is also tied with former players Ahn Jung-hwan and Park Ji-sung for the most World Cup goals by a South Korean player with three.Joining Son and Kim in the starting XI are: Kim Min-jae, Lee Han-beom and Lee Gi-hyuk as defenders; Lee Tae-seok and Seol Young-woo as wingbacks; Hwang In-beom, Paik Seung-ho, Lee Jae-sung and Lee Kang-in as midfielders.Czechia's attack will be led by Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick. (Yonhap)South Korea: 3-4-2-1Goalkeeper: Kim Seung-gyu (1)Defenders: Lee Han-beom (2), Lee Gi-hyuk (3), Kim Min-jae (4), Lee Tae-seok (13), Seol Young-woo (22)Midfielders: Hwang In-beom (6), Paik Seung-ho (8), Lee Jae-sung (10), Lee Kang-in (19)Forward: Son Heung-min (7, captain)Head coach: Hong Myung-boCzechia: 4-1-2-3Goalkeeper: Matej Kovar (1)Defenders: Robin Hranac (4), Vladimir Coufal (5), Stepan Chaloupek (6), Ladislav Krejci (7, captain), Jaroslv Zeleny (20)Midfielders: Lukas Provod (17), Tomas Soucek (22), Alexandr Sojka (24)Forwards: Patrik Schick (10), Pavel Sulc (15)Head coach: Miroslav KoubekReferee: Amin Mohamed Omar