[2026 World Cup] For Hong Myungbo's Squad, the Top Czech Threat Is 191cm Striker Patrik Schick

In the first Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America, the Czech player whom Korea must be most wary of is forward Patrik Schick, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga.

Schick is currently the leading forward representing the Czech Republic. Since making his debut for the senior national team in 2016, he has scored 26 goals in 53 international matches, ranking fourth in total goals for the Czech national team. Among active players, he is the team's top scorer.

Schick is highly likely to start as the main striker in the Group A opener between Korea and the Czech Republic, which will take place at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico at 11:00 a.m. (Korean time) on June 12.

A product of the prestigious Sparta Prague youth system, Schick began his professional career with Italian clubs Sampdoria and AS Roma. He then moved to Germany, where he played for RB Leipzig and Leverkusen, establishing himself as one of Europe’s top strikers.

Patrik Schick, forward of the Czech national football team. Photo by AP Yonhap News.

Notably, in the 2021–2022 Bundesliga season, he scored 24 goals, finishing second in the scoring charts behind Robert Lewandowski, who was then with Bayern Munich. He has maintained his scoring consistency, netting 21 goals in the 2024–2025 season and 16 goals in the 2025–2026 season.

At UEFA Euro 2020, he scored five goals to become joint top scorer alongside Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.

Schick’s greatest strengths are his aerial ability, utilizing his height of 191 cm, and his powerful left-footed shots. Head coach Hong Myungbo also warned about the Czech team, saying, "They are physically strong and a tough opponent," and emphasized the need to pay particular attention to set pieces and crosses. Schick is the player the Korean defense should be most cautious of in set-piece situations.

Schick also showcased his fine form by scoring in the final warm-up match against Guatemala, held in Harrison, New Jersey, on June 4.

Defender Ladislav Krejci, who provides aerial presence alongside Schick, is another Czech player to watch. Krejci, who anchors one side of the Czech’s primary three-back formation, is also 191 cm tall. He is recognized for his technical skills, which allow him to play as a midfielder, and his precise long-passing ability.

Krejci began his professional career at Zbrojovka Brno in the Czech league before moving on to Sparta Prague and Spain’s Girona. Since last year, he has been on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League, where he has shared the dressing room with Hwang Hee-chan.

Regarding Krejci, Hwang Hee-chan said, "We eat together and talk a lot; he’s one of my closest teammates. He is definitely one of the players we need to watch out for."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.