Nashville: South Korea captain Son Heung-min has achieved a significant milestone by earning his 136th cap, creating a three-way tie for the most appearances in the history of South Korean men's football.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Son entered the match as a substitute for Bae Jun-ho at the start of the second half during a friendly against Mexico at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee. With this appearance, he joins the ranks of former striker Cha Bum-kun and ex-defender, now national team manager, Hong Myung-bo, each with 136 caps for South Korea.
Son is expected to surpass this record next month as South Korea prepares to host Brazil on October 10 and Paraguay on October 14 in Seoul. Reflecting on his achievement, Son expressed his gratitude, stating, "I am really happy to share this moment with so many coaches and teammates. I have never once taken any of these matches for granted. I've always considered these opportunities a huge honor."
Apart from matching the cap record, Son scored South Korea's first goal in the 2-2 draw against Mexico. He now has 53 international goals, trailing Cha by five goals for the all-time men's scoring lead. Meanwhile, defender Kim Young-gwon, with 112 caps, is the only other active player in the top 10, though he hasn't been called up since September 2024.
On the women's side, Ji So-yun leads South Korea's all-time list with 169 caps. Son's international career began as an 18-year-old on December 30, 2010, marking 14 years and 254 days, the third-longest tenure in the men's team history, following Lee Dong-gook and Lee Woon-jae.
Feeling physically rejuvenated this year, Son said, "I feel like my normal self. It felt great to be able to play in such good physical condition." He also praised his teammates, acknowledging their hard work in challenging conditions away from home.
The recent matches against top-20 teams, including a 2-0 victory over the 15th-ranked United States and a draw with 13th-ranked Mexico, provided valuable learning experiences for South Korea. Son highlighted the need for the team to maintain leads against strong opponents, expressing disappointment over conceding a late equalizer against Mexico.
"When we take a lead against such a strong team, then we have to learn how to stay in front and cover each other's backs when someone makes a mistake," Son remarked. "I am sure everyone learned a good lesson from this trip."