Son Heung-min, the captain of the South Korean national team, denied today, Wednesday, the speculation that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his last participation, as the 33-year-old player seeks to address his declining scoring rate, with the national team’s first match scheduled against the Czech Republic.
After years of carrying the hopes of the team and its fans, Son remains a key option in coach Hong Myung-bo's lineup, ahead of the anticipated match on Thursday against the Czech Republic in Group A.
Son said at a press conference, "I never said this would be my last World Cup. That will be my decision." Since his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Los Angeles FC in 2025, signs of Son's declining effectiveness in front of goal have emerged.
Coach Hong is in his second term at the helm of the national team after witnessing the team exit the group stage at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The coach stated, "This is my second World Cup edition as a coach, and I am very proud. In 2014, we failed, but we’ve gained a lot of experience until now. We are well prepared."
Both Son and the coach admitted that adjusting to the altitude was difficult.
Hong said, "I think all our players feel like they have adapted to the high altitudes and are ready."
The team is aware of the need to achieve a positive result in their opening match against the experienced Czech team if they want to qualify, as Mexico, co-hosting the tournament, will certainly pose a more challenging test on home soil in the following match.
Hong added, "Mexico is a solid footballing nation; they are a host country and enjoy the advantage of playing at home... but we must focus on the first match and then move on to the second."
Son said, "We have three matches and each match will be extremely important, and we will play to survive."
South Korea will play their third match in the group against South Africa.