Heung Min Son Enters Fourth World Cup Feeling Like a Young Boy
heung min son is back on the World Cup stage for the fourth time, and the South Korea captain says the moment still feels new. He opens Group A against the Czech Republic in Guadalajara on Thursday after describing the tournament as his “dream stage.”
Son Heung-min in Guadalajara
Son said, “Whether it’s the first or fourth World Cup, I feel like a young boy again,” a line that fits a player who made his World Cup debut in 2014 and returned in 2018 and 2022. He is 33 years old now, but he said, “How I do and perform is the most important thing.”
That focus has carried him through South Korea’s national team setup since 2010. He also said, “I never said that this would be my last World Cup,” and added, “It’s my dream stage. I’m happy to be back on a World Cup pitch, it’s what I dreamed of from a very young age.”
Sonaldo in Los Angeles
Son has also settled into life in Los Angeles in Major League Soccer, where he has picked up another nickname from local fans. In Mexico, he has been called “Sonaldo,” and he said, “I’m in L.A. now and there are a lot of Mexicans there.”
He added, “I can feel their passion and love for soccer, and they support me a lot. I’m very thankful and grateful.” On the nickname itself, his answer was brief: “not yet.”
South Korea’s Group A path
South Korea is making its 12th World Cup appearance, the most by any Asian country, and the opener in Guadalajara starts a three-match group run that stays in Mexico for the first two games. The second match is also in Guadalajara against Mexico, and the third and final group game is in Monterrey against South Africa.
The larger target is harder to miss. South Korea’s best World Cup finish came in 2002, when it reached the semifinals and placed fourth at the tournament it co-hosted with Japan, and it has not gone beyond the round of 16 since then. Son said, “Sometimes I have to calm them, I have to say ’calm down,’” a reminder that the captain is carrying both form and temperament into the group stage.
He put the immediate goal simply: “Hopefully we will have a good result. It would be deserved. We are well prepared.”
