SEOUL, 10 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Son Heung-min must set aside his difficulties at Tottenham Hotspur as South Korea seek to secure a place at next year’s World Cup, national team manager Hong Myung-bo stated on Monday.
Son came off the bench at half-time to salvage a point for Spurs with a late penalty in a 2-2 home draw against Bournemouth on Sunday. However, the 32-year-old forward has endured a challenging season, seeing reduced playing time and netting only seven Premier League goals. Tottenham’s struggles continue, with the club languishing in the lower half of the table.
South Korea are aiming to qualify for their 11th consecutive World Cup and will guarantee their place if they defeat both Oman and Jordan in this month’s home qualifiers.
Despite Son’s club struggles, Hong was adamant that the national team environment was “a completely different setting” for his captain and dismissed concerns that Tottenham’s prolonged trophy drought would impact his international performances.
“I do not want to associate Tottenham’s difficulties with the national team,” said Hong. “Of course, we want Son Heung-min to do well at his club, but his primary focus here is on South Korea. I believe he will continue to perform at a high level.”
Son has faced injury setbacks this season and has completed a full 90 minutes on just five occasions since the start of the year. Hong acknowledged that the forward’s role in the upcoming matches was not guaranteed.
“There has been much discussion about his form and goal tally,” Hong noted. “However, we must not overlook everything he has achieved. If he joins us, we will discuss his role and determine the best approach together.”
South Korea remain unbeaten in the third round of Asian qualifying, with four victories and two draws. Hong has named a full-strength squad featuring Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae, Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in, and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Hee-chan.
“I want to see a balance between the youthful energy of our emerging talents and the experience of our senior players,” Hong added. “For this to happen, younger players need to be confident and embrace the responsibility of representing their country.”
Supplementary Information:
- South Korea have participated in every World Cup since 1986, with their best finish coming in 2002 when they reached the semi-finals as co-hosts.
- Son Heung-min remains a pivotal figure for both club and country, having won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2022.
- Tottenham Hotspur’s last major trophy was the League Cup in 2008, with the club enduring a 17-year silverware drought.
- South Korea’s upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining their standing in Asian qualifying, where Japan, Australia, and Saudi Arabia remain strong contenders.