Ex-U21 player changes the association
Top talent is decided against the DFB
12.08.2025 – 10:30 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
Since the U16, Jens Castrop has been running for DFB’s junior teams. Now he has chosen a change of association – and will play for his mother’s home country in the future.
Jens Castrop has taken the final step: the 22-year-old will no longer be entitled to the DFB in the future, but will be eligible to play for the national team of South Korea. FIFA set August 11th as an official date for the change of association.
The midfielder changed from 1st FC Nürnberg to Borussia Mönchengladbach in summer for around 4.2 million euros. So far, Castrop has not received an invitation from South Korea’s national coach Myung-Bo Hong. In March, Hong said: “We saw him playing in Europe during our stay and our employees also met with his mother.”
At that time, however, there were “many complicated administrative problems”. The change of association has now been clarified, and military service required in South Korea up to the age of 30 could still be an issue.
Castrop, whose mother comes from South Korea, played in the German young teams since the U 16 and played four games for the U 21. The European Championship finals in June missed injury: In April, he had a partial tear of the outdoor band in the knee in Nuremberg’s 2: 3 against Paderborn.
In Gladbach, Castrop now wants to convince with good performances in the Bundesliga to recommend itself for missions alongside top star Heung-Min Son. South Korea will test against the United States in Harrison in Harrison in the coming year on September 6th and on September 10 in Nashville against Mexico.