The absence of captain Son Heung-min is considered a concern, but it could be an opportunity for some players to show their competitiveness.
As Son Heung-min, who had always taken a place in the second line, was excluded, a new competition opened between Hong Myung-bo’s second line. While new players are likely to be given a chance while foreshadowing Hong Myung-bo’s “Plan B,” attention is being paid to the “young blood” who have newly appeared in the national team.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will play the third Group B match against Jordan in the third Asian qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA North-China U.S. World Cup at Amman International Stadium in Amman, Jordan’s capital, on the 10th. Currently, South Korea and Jordan have four points, but Jordan, which is leading in scoring records, is at the top of the group and South Korea is at the second place in the group.
Hong Myung-bo’s biggest concern ahead of an important game in which he must bring points to rise to the top of Group B is also Son Heung-min’s absence.
Son Heung-min, a striker for Tottenham Hotspur of the Premier League, suffered a thigh injury while playing in a UEFA Europa League match against Garabakh FC (Azerbaijan) on April 27. Since then, he has been excluded from the list of matches against Manchester United on April 30 and has not been able to play until now.
Coach Hong Myung-bo summoned Son to the national team for now, but decided not to invite him to the next two A-match series considering his condition. Hong said he will focus on preparing “Plan B,” which can replace Son’s absence.
In the end, it is said that someone will play in place of Son Heung-min, but it is not yet known which player will be chosen by coach Hong Myung-bo.
Players seem to know this, too. “The mood of the national team players is slightly different at the convocation, in which Son Heung-min did not come,” said an official from the Korea Football Association, adding that Hwang Hee-chan, Um Ji-sung and Bae Jun-ho, who will compete for Son’s vacancy, have changed their eyes.
Hwang Hee-chan, who has a lot of experience in the national team, is considered a strong candidate, but considering that Hwang Hee-chan is struggling with his team Wolverhampton early this season, we cannot guarantee that Hwang Hee-chan will start. Rather, considering the recent performance, the possibility of Bae Joon-ho and Um Ji-sung playing seems not low. 스포츠토토
Given that there are expectations that something needs to explode in Son’s position, the two players should especially expect Bae Jun-ho and Um Ji-sung. The two players are basically second-tier players with the ability to confuse the opponent team’s defense. If Bae Jun-ho and Um Ji-sung, who will take charge of the second-tier Korean national team, prove their capabilities through this match, their national team careers could also change significantly.