With Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham), the captain of the Korean men’s national soccer team, unable to play due to injury, attention is focused on whether he can play the A match in October.
Son Heung-min missed the second UEFA Europa League phase match against Ferencvaros at the Grupama Arena in Budapest, Hungary on the 4th (Korea time). He felt uncomfortable in the first UEL League phase match against Karabakh (Azerbaijan) on the 27th of last month and was replaced 71 minutes later.
Son Heung-min’s injury was known not to be serious at the time, but he was excluded from the EPL’s sixth round away match against Manchester United on the 30th. He was then also excluded from the away match in Hungary, and Tottenham manager Enze Postecoglou officially announced that “Son Heung-min is in London to recover.” This situation is having a great impact not only on Tottenham but also on the Korean national soccer team led by head coach Hong Myung-bo.
The South Korean national team will play the third round of the Asian qualifying round for the “2026 FIFA North-China World Cup” in Jordan at 11 p.m. on the 10th (Korea time), and then play the fourth round against Iraq at Yongin Mir Stadium on the 15th. If South Korea, currently ranked second in Group B, beats Jordan, and catches Iraq, it can solidify its lead in the group and get closer to its goal of advancing to the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time.
However, if Son is not included, it could be a huge blow to the Korean national team. Hong said on April 30 that he had direct communication with Son when the A-match roster was announced in October, and that he feels that Son is gradually recovering.
However, he added that he is preparing a plan B, saying, “I do not want to overdo it and put the player in trouble.” This is interpreted as meaning that he will make a final decision while monitoring Son’s condition.
Reports on the timing of the local media’s return are also mixed. British media “Football London” reported Son Heung-min’s return as “undetermined” and reacted cautiously, while “The Independent” predicted that he will be able to play in the seventh round of the league against Brighton on the 7th.
If Son can play against Brighton and boost his condition, as in the latter case, it would be an ideal scenario for him to join Hong’s national team. However, if Son will miss the match against Brighton, it could actually be difficult to call up an A-match in October. 먹튀검증
If Son fails to participate in the A-match in October, he will have to choose a substitute. Yang Min-hyuk (18) of Kangwon FC, who was selected for the first time during the A-match in September, and Jung Woo-young (25) of Germany, who recently moved to Union Berlin in the Bundesliga and is extending his playing time, are likely to be considered substitutes for Son.