SEOUL – Son Heung-min said that he was “feeling great” ahead of the World Cup and backed himself to perform, despite suggestions that South Korea’s talismanic captain’s powers are on the wane. The 33-year-old skipper has scored only two goals since leaving Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer in August last year. He has also struggled with South Korea, who head to the World Cup on the back of a dismal run of results and will face the
Czech Republic, South Africa and co-hosts Mexico in Group A. South Korea lost 4-0 to the Ivory Coast and 1-0 to Austria in recent friendlies. Son tried to lift the mood as he spoke to reporters at the team’s training camp in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. “A lot of people are worried, but I’m only worried if I’m not playing well,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the case now. Physically, I am feeling great.” South Korea face the Czechs in Guadalajara on June
11, the opening day of the tournament which is being co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. They reached the last 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before being sent packing 4-1 by Brazil. Son, who will be playing at his fourth World Cup, said that the players “need to know where our team-mates are with our eyes closed”. “Of course we want to get to a higher place this time and do better than the last World Cup,” he said. “But
we can’t predict the future. Other teams will be preparing just as hard.” Son has scored 54 goals in 143 games for his country and been their inspiration for more than 15 years. He has scored three World Cup goals to give him a share of South Korea’s record with Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan. “Obviously, it’s impossible not to be hearing about these records. People have been talking about them, and fans have taken great interest in them,” Son added. “But I’ve just not
been thinking too much about them. If I put the team above all else and worry about how I can help the team first, then goals will naturally follow.” Coach Hong Myung-bo, who is deeply unpopular with fans, backed his skipper. “Son Heung-min is the heart of our team and I have never once doubted that,” he said. South Korea fans saw their side comfortably reach the World Cup unbeaten in qualifying, but they have low expectations of what the team will do in North
America. “Fans’ collective confidence level seems to be at an all-time low,” news outlet Yonhap said this month. The country’s best World Cup performance remains reaching the semi-finals in 2002 when they co-hosted. Since, they have never gone beyond the last 16. South Korea’s 2026 squad is mostly based abroad and takes in an array of overseas leagues in the United States, Europe and Asia. Kim Min-jae has been a mainstay in central defence for his country and at 29 the Bayern Munich man dubbed
“Monster” should be at his peak. Lee Kang-in is another who has proven pedigree in top European football, first with Valencia and Mallorca and now with Paris Saint-Germain. AFP
Son Heung-min, South Korea, World Cup 2026, Group A, Czech Republic, South Africa, Mexico, Salt Lake City, Hong Myung-bo, Kim Min-jae, Lee Kang-in, Los Angeles FC, Tottenham Hotspur