Goyang: For Son Heung-min, captain of the South Korean men’s national football team, the World Cup qualifying match against Oman scheduled for Thursday is important on multiple levels. For one, a win will push South Korea closer to a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Also, it will be the very first match for the Taegeuk Warriors this year, and their first game on home soil since Oct. 15, 2024.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Son emphasized the responsibility he and his teammates feel heading into the game. “I am sure fans have high expectations ahead of our first match of this year,” Son said at a prematch press conference at Goyang Stadium, the venue of Thursday’s match located just northwest of Seoul. “We all feel a sense of responsibility to play a great match for our fans and also for ourselves. It’s important for us to make sure it will translate to a good performance on the field.”
It will be the seventh match for both teams in Group B of the third round in the Asian World Cup qualification. South Korea are in the lead with 14 points, five clear of third-place Jordan, their opponent next Tuesday. With the top two teams from the group qualifying for the World Cup, South Korea can lock down their spot by beating both Oman and Jordan. South Korea are undefeated with four wins and two draws and lead their group with 12 goals scored.
Son insisted the road to this point has been anything but easy. “It may seem like we’re in an easy spot, but we should never forget the difficult situation we’ve had to overcome so far,” Son said. “I think we deserve to be praised for reaching this point.”
Son refused to look past the Oman match, maintaining a focused approach. “Throughout my career, I have only thought about the next match and never the one coming afterward,” he stated. As the captain of Tottenham Hotspur, Son acknowledged experiencing “difficult and challenging” moments with the Premier League side lately, but expressed eagerness to feel rejuvenated by the positive energy of South Korean supporters.
“Our fans always root hard for us, and we don’t want to let them down,” Son said. “My role is to create opportunities, to make the right decisions, and to help us score goals. Since this will be our first match of the year, we will do our best to put on an entertaining show for our supporters.”
If Son plays in both of the upcoming matches this month, he will reach 133 international caps, tying him for third place on the South Korean list with former goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae. Son also sits seven goals away from all-time leader Cha Bum-kun on the national team goals rankings. However, Son stressed that individual milestones have never held much significance for him.
“I just think about all the people that have helped me play for the national team for such a long time, from my teammates, coaches, and members of the support staff,” Son said. “I think it is my responsibility to return all the love and support I’ve received from them the best I can. That’s more important to me than setting records.”
As one of South Korea’s elder statesmen, Son expressed a desire for the team’s new faces to feel comfortable and perform without intimidation. “They often remind me of the first time I made the national team,” Son recalled, having debuted internationally in December 2010 as an 18-year-old. “If they can’t play the way they’re capable of because they’re too shy, then it hurts the team and the players themselves. The national team is a collection of the country’s best players trying to achieve the same goal. I’ve told them not to waste such a precious opportunity.”