Dark clouds are gathering around South Korea as they head to North America for what is expected to be Son Heung-min’s final World Cup. The mood is uneasy, with doubts over Son’s form, coach Hong Myung-bo’s standing with fans, and the team’s ability to deliver on the biggest stage.
The pressure is especially heavy because South Korea need Son to lead again if they want to survive Group A. They will open against the Czech Republic in Guadalajara on June 11, before meeting South Africa and co-hosts Mexico in a section that offers little margin for error.
A captain under scrutiny
Son remains the face of South Korean football, but his influence is being questioned more than at any point in recent years. The 33-year-old has scored 54 goals in 143 appearances for his country, yet he has not looked as sharp in recent matches and has not lit up Major League Soccer since leaving Tottenham for Los Angeles FC last year.
That slide has only intensified talk about whether his international end is near. Son pushed back after the friendly loss to Austria in March, saying through Yonhap News that he did not believe he had suffered a dip in performance and that retirement from the national team would be his own decision.
His response reflected the frustration around him. Every quiet spell now triggers discussion about decline, even though he has been South Korea’s main source of inspiration for more than 15 years.
Hong faces growing backlash
The unease around Son has been matched by anger toward Hong Myung-bo. Supporters have repeatedly voiced their displeasure with the coach, and pre-World Cup friendlies did little to calm the mood after South Korea were beaten 4-0 by the Ivory Coast and 1-0 by Austria.
Hong defended Son after those defeats, saying, “Son Heung-min is the heart of our team and I have never once doubted that.” He also argued that his side needs tactical flexibility, especially after experimenting with three centre-backs and wingbacks.
The coach’s unpopularity has deeper roots. Fans have also criticized the Korea Football Association over the process that brought him back two years ago, following two interim managers and the turbulent 12-month spell of Jürgen Klinsmann.
Why Son’s role matters so much
South Korea’s hopes in North America still depend heavily on Son finding form at the right time. The team reached the World Cup unbeaten in qualifying, but the optimism from that campaign has faded fast, and Yonhap reported this month that fans’ confidence is at an all-time low.
That concern is understandable given South Korea’s recent World Cup record. Their best finish remains the semi-finals at the 2002 tournament, when they co-hosted, and they have not gone beyond the last 16 since then.
Son also carries the burden of trying to improve on Qatar, where he played through pain while wearing a mask to protect a fractured eye socket. South Korea exited in the last 16 after a 4-1 loss to Brazil, and Son failed to score in that campaign.
A squad with overseas experience
Even with the anxiety surrounding the team, South Korea do have players with strong experience abroad. Kim Min-jae remains a key figure in central defence and, at 29, is still regarded as one of the country’s top players at Bayern Munich.
Lee Kang-in adds another important attacking option after spells with Valencia and Mallorca, and now with Paris Saint-Germain. The versatile forward has not played a major role for PSG and has been linked with a move this summer, but his pedigree in Europe remains valuable for Hong’s squad.
South Korea will need that mix of experience to steady the team while Son shoulders the attention as their most important player. The coming group matches may decide not only whether South Korea progress, but also whether Son’s final World Cup chapter ends in frustration or with one last defining run.
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