Seoul: Watching his 20-something teammates make one great play after another to help South Korea beat Kuwait in a World Cup qualifier Tuesday night, captain Son Heung-min beamed with pride. Still not fully recovered from a nagging foot injury, Son, 32, started South Korea's 4-0 win on the bench. He came on in the 75th minute to help close out a 4-0 win at Seoul World Cup Stadium and marveled afterward how those youngsters had exceeded his expectations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Son expressed his pride in the young players, highlighting the contributions of new starters Bae Jun-ho and Oh Hyeon-gyu, who combined for one goal and two assists. "I was so proud of those young players who started today," Son said. "They played so much better than I'd expected. They were not intimidated at all and played the way they're capable of playing. I felt really proud of them watching from the bench."
Head coach Hong Myung-bo was able to experiment with his lineup because South Korea had already secured their World Cup berth with a 2-0 win over Iraq last week. South Korea will be playing in their 11th consecutive World Cup, ending the third round with an undefeated record of six wins and four draws. Despite this, Son acknowledged the challenges faced during the qualifiers. "I know people just assume that we should come out of Asia with ease, but nothing has been easy," Son said. "I think we were able to finish well here because everyone came together with the same goal of never losing a match. I am really proud of these guys, and they deserve so much credit."
Son's performance at the club level with Tottenham Hotspur saw him score just seven goals in league action and 11 in all competitions, his lowest totals since his first season in 2015-16. However, he concluded the season by winning the UEFA Europa League title in late May, marking Tottenham's first trophy in 17 years and the first of Son's career. "I know people may say I had a disappointing year, but personally, this was a special season because you play football to win, and only winners are remembered," Son said. "I wasn't in my best form for most of the season, but hopefully, I will be in better condition going into the new season."
Son has been the subject of transfer speculation, especially after head coach Ange Postecoglou was fired last week. When asked about his future, Son urged patience. "I still have one more year left on the contract," Son said. "Rather than saying anything at this moment, I think we should all wait and see what happens. But no matter where I end up, I will always do the best I can. It will never change."
Son also expressed his commitment to performing for the fans at home. By earning his 134th cap, Son moved to third place on South Korea's all-time rankings, surpassing former goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae. He now trails only two former players by two caps: his current national team boss Hong Myung-bo and Cha Bum-kun. "I wasn't 100 percent, but I wanted to play in front of fans here," Son said. "There are some matches where you have to push yourself extra hard, and this was one of those."