Failing to hold back laughter.
The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, is facing Kuwait in the 10th match of Group B of the final Asia qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 10th.
South Korea had already secured a 2-0 victory over Iraq in an away game on the 6th, with consecutive goals from Kim Jin-kyu and Oh Hyun-kyu, achieving five wins and four draws (19 points) and confirmed a place in the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time.
South Korea lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Oh Hyun-kyu was the sole target for goals, with Bae Jun-ho, Lee Kang-in, and Jeon Jin-woo in the attacking midfield. Hwang In-beom and Won Doo-jae occupied the midfield, while Seol Young-woo, Lee Han-beom, Kim Joo-seong, and Lee Tae-seok formed the back four. Lee Chang-geun guarded the goal.
Kuwait also lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ahmed Zanki played at the front, with Karal Al-Kaishi, Jasem Al-Mutair, and Ahmed Aldafiri in the attacking midfield. Youssef Majed and Abdulwahab Alawadi stood in the midfield, while Fahad Alhajri, Reda Hanni, Messari Ghanem, and Mohammed Khaled formed the back four. The goalkeeper's gloves were worn by Sulaiman Abdulghafour.
This match started with the team captain Son Heung-min and other veteran key players on the bench. However, Son Heung-min's popularity remained unchanged.
About 15 minutes into the first half, Son Heung-min's image was shown on the large screen at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, and the crowd erupted in cheers. The decibel level of the support surged to 108 with the captain's indifferent demeanor. As the crowd continued to cheer, Son Heung-min, aware of the camera, finally broke into a smile.
Meanwhile, ahead of this match, head coach Hong Myung-bo explained, "Son Heung-min is in a condition to play. We will decide on the day after the final training." Son Heung-min is expected to make an appearance as a substitute in the second half.
[OSEN]