Branko Ivankovic, coach of the Chinese men's national football team, called for unity against South Korea ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Seoul on Tuesday.

"As a strong team in Asia, South Korea have always been a regular participant in the World Cup who have several world-class players with outstanding abilities. In response, we will focus on collective defense and prioritize team collaboration," Ivankovic said.

China are currently dealing with injuries, with forward A Lan not traveling to South Korea, and Wu Lei and Zhang Yuning also carrying knocks. In such a situation, Ivankovic said, the team should be more focused.

Chinese forward Fei Nanduo added that the team are paying great attention to this game and hope to achieve a good result. "We will strive towards victory," he said. "Personally, I am in a good state and will do my best to help other young players."

South Korea's captain Son Heung-min reiterated that no game is easy, and said his side will give their all in order to fulfill the home fans' expectations.

"There's no such thing as an easy game," Son said at the pre-match press conference. "For those of us in Europe, this is the last game of the season. So we want to have a good finish. Plus, our fans will expect nothing less than quality football from the team. No matter what, we absolutely have to win tomorrow's game."

The final round of matches in this group will take place on June 11. South Korea have already secured top spot in the group, while Thailand, who are competing with China for the other top-18 position, will host already eliminated Singapore.

According to the current standings, China will directly advance to the round of 18 if they defeat or draw with South Korea. However, if they lose and Thailand win, the qualification spot will be determined by goal difference.

(With input from agency)