The South Korean men’s national soccer team departed for the Middle East for upcoming friendly matches against Jordan and Iran.

These two matches will be the final friendlies of the year for South Korea, coached by former German international Uli Stielike.

They are also the country’s last scheduled matches before the AFC Asian Cup tournament in January.

South Korea will visit Amman to play Jordan on Friday and will be in Tehran to take on Iran next Tuesday.

Stielike has put together a 22-man roster that features seven players based in Europe, six in the Middle East, three in Japan and two in China. Four others are playing in the domestic K League Classic.

The much-maligned striker Park Chu-young is back on the national team for the first time since his disastrous FIFA World Cup showing under Stielike’s predecessor, Hong Myung-bo.

Park, who’d spent a few months without a club after the World Cup, was rescued from the brink of football oblivion by Saudi Arabian club al-Shabab, who signed him to a one-year deal last month. Park scored in his first match for the club on Oct. 17 and has been rounding into form.

In explaining his selection of Park, Stielike said he’d like to see the 29-year-old in person before setting the roster for next year’s Asian Cup.

Park has been one of the country’s most polarizing athletes in recent years. He has scored some momentous international goals for South Korea ― Park leads the current unit with 24 goals in 66 matches ― but has also angered the public with his decision to delay his mandatory military service. The oft-aloof one has also had a bumpy relationship with the press for his frequent refusal to give interviews.

Joining Park are familiar faces, including Swansea City midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, who was named Stielike’s first captain in two October friendlies. Bayer Leverkusen winger Son Heung-min is on a roll after scoring twice in the team’s UEFA Champions League group stage match last week.

Both Ki and Son played in the World Cup this year. Other World Cup members who also made the team this time include Mainz 05 midfielder Koo Ja-cheol, captain of the World Cup squad, and El Jaish forward Lee Keun-ho, who scored South Korea’s first goal of the tournament against Russia.

Stielike will be without two frontline strikers, as Jeonbuk Hyundai’s Lee Dong-gook and Ulsan Hyundai’s Kim Shin-wook were left off the team this time with injuries.

Lee has been ruled out for the season with a muscle tear in his right calf, and Kim is out with a broken tibia.

Stielike earlier said he was pessimistic about their recovery in time for the Asian Cup, lamenting South Korea’s lack of alternatives in the striker position.

Stielike’s defensive corps has a mix of veterans and up-and-comers. Cha Du-ri is the elder statesman on the team at 34, and he continues to show athleticism and speed at right fullback.

Jang Hyun-soo, who captained South Korea’s U23 team to a gold medal at this year’s Asian Games, is expected to get an opportunity to shine at the senior level. Hong Jeong-ho and Kim Young-gwon, the centerback tandem who had a mediocre World Cup campaign in Brazil, could have a chance to redeem themselves before the new coach. (Yonhap)