It has been a happy season for Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham). After a somewhat slow start, he prepares for a resurgence.
The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, faced Kuwait in the 10th match of Group B in the final qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup North and Central America on the 10th at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, winning decisively 4-0.
With this victory, Korea achieved 22 points (6 wins, 4 draws) and finished the final qualifiers without a defeat.
On the 6th, Korea had already secured its place by defeating Iraq away with consecutive goals from Kim Jin-kyu and Oh Hyun-kyu, winning 2-0, and solidifying its position as Group 2 with 5 wins and 4 draws (19 points), confirming its advance to the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time. With this match concluding in a 4-0 victory, the team shared the joy of qualifying with home fans in a festive atmosphere.
Korea has recorded an unbeaten streak in the final qualifiers for the first time in 15 years since 2010. After a disappointing defeat in the away match against the UAE on March 29, 2022, Korea failed to remain unbeaten in the Asian qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, but this time concluded the qualifiers on a positive note without any losses.
Korea took the lead with a goal from Jeon Jin-woo in the 30th minute of the first half, and in the 6th and 9th minutes of the second half, Lee Kang-in and Oh Hyun-kyu scored consecutively, increasing the momentum. Following that, in the 27th minute of the second half, substitute Lee Jae-sung added the fourth goal, securing a perfect victory.
In this match, Son Heung-min started on the bench. He stepped onto the field as a substitute for Oh Hyun-kyu in the 30th minute of the second half. Although it was a short time, he took part in the match for the fans who visited the home ground.
After the game, Son Heung-min said, "Quite a few young players came onto the field. I feel proud. They were impressive. Their ability to play without being intimidated was better than I expected. I felt accomplished."
Regarding the advance to the World Cup finals, he noted, "I am happy. I think everyone feels that way. Many people believe that Korea should easily go to the World Cup in Asia, but it's not easy. I have gone through qualifiers a few times, and I want to credit all the players who were with me in the second and third qualifiers. We prepared with the mindset that we needed to show good performances, so I think we were able to conclude with such good results. I believe we deserve praise."
This season, Son Heung-min lifted the Europa League trophy with Tottenham Hotspur, achieving his first major tournament victory in his career. He said, "I think I've accomplished everything I wanted to achieve in football. Football is played to win, and only winners are remembered. Despite being a challenging season, experiencing the sport I've been passionate about since childhood made me want to do better. There are parts I feel disappointed about, but it was a truly happy season, and I was happy to share this moment, which I love, with those who have been cheering for me, even if it was belatedly."
He then vowed, "I have not often shown my normal condition, but as we enter the new season, I will prepare well as it is a fresh start."
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