GUADALAJARA, Mexico — As South Korea prepares to face Czechia at Estadio Guadalajara on Thursday evening, captain Son Heung-Min is set to compete in his fourth FIFA World Cup.
For nearly ten years, Son has been the cornerstone of the national team, boasting an impressive 144 caps—39 more than his closest teammate, Lee Jae-Sung.
As he nears his 34th birthday next month, Son continues to be a pivotal figure for South Korea, with the team’s fortunes closely tied to his performance.
Despite his wealth of experience on the world stage, the LAFC star admits he still feels a childlike excitement as he gears up for the World Cup lights once more.
“It’s a dream come true to be back on the World Cup pitch,” Son expressed during Wednesday’s press conference ahead of their Group A opener. “Regardless of whether it’s my first or fourth World Cup, I feel like a young boy again. This is the ultimate stage for any player.”
“It’s difficult to capture this feeling in just one word. Our mentality should remain consistent, whether it’s my first or fourth time participating in the World Cup.”
Reflecting on the last World Cup in Qatar, Son acknowledged the lessons learned from both successes and setbacks. “We showed great resilience but also faced challenges,” he noted. “These experiences have helped us grow.”
“We are now more mature and experienced. While there have been some changes in the squad, our mindset on the global stage remains unchanged,” he added. “The atmosphere is fantastic right from the start. When I observe my teammates working tirelessly for our country, I sometimes have to remind them to stay calm.”
“We are well-prepared and I hope we can achieve a positive result tomorrow because my teammates certainly deserve it.”
Historically, South Korea has struggled in their opening World Cup matches, failing to win in the past three tournaments. This trend has often set them up with significant early challenges.
In both 2014 and 2018, South Korea could not progress beyond the group stage, while in 2022, they narrowly advanced to the round of 16 with a dramatic victory over Portugal, secured by a last-minute goal assisted by Son.
Nonetheless, Son minimized the pressure of needing to change their opening match fortunes, choosing instead to focus on the present. “I don’t dwell on tomorrow,” he stated. “Today is my priority, and I will concentrate on training. Tomorrow, we will give our best.”
“Every match in the group stage is crucial. We’ll be playing for our lives and aiming to exceed our limits.”
On the coaching front, South Korea’s head coach Hong Myung-Bo looks forward to his second World Cup after a disappointing campaign in 2014, which marked the team’s worst performance since 1998, earning just one point in the group stage.
“It’s an honor to lead the team in my second World Cup,” Hong remarked. “The lessons from our failure in 2014 have allowed us to gain valuable experience, and we feel well-prepared this time around. While we can’t predict the outcome, I hope my players enjoy the match tomorrow.”