South Korea captain Son Heung-min is preparing to lead his national team at the upcoming FIFA World Cup in North America, facing scrutiny over his recent goalscoring form and the team's friendly defeats.
The 33-year-old forward, now playing for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer, enters his fourth global tournament after heavy friendly losses against Ivory Coast and Austria.
South Korea will compete in Group A alongside the Czech Republic, South Africa, and co-hosts Mexico, with their opening match against the Czechs in Guadalajara on June 11.
Coach and Captain Respond to Criticism
National team coach Hong Myung-bo defended Son following criticism of his MLS performances and recent international friendlies.
"Son Heung-min is the heart of our team and I have never once doubted that," Hong told reporters.
Hong also addressed fan dissatisfaction with his tactical shift to a back-three system during warm-up matches.
"Our players have been playing in the back-four formation for a long time," he said.
"But we've all seen that we can't afford to take just one set of tactics to the World Cup."
Son remains defiant about his physical condition and career trajectory, having scored 14 goals and provided 20 assists in 34 appearances across all competitions for LAFC since moving from Tottenham Hotspur last August.
"I don't think I've suffered any dip in my performance," the Yonhap News agency quoted him as saying.
The forward expressed frustration regarding public commentary about his international future and scoring droughts.
"When the time comes for me to leave the national team, then I will do it on my own," Son said.
He emphasized his desire to block out negativity during dry spells.
"It's disappointing that people talk about decline whenever I hit a dry spell," Son said.
Focus on Club Form and World Cup Preparation
Son spoke about his preparation in the United States and adaptation to North American conditions ahead of Sunday's domestic match against the Seattle Sounders.
"That was, in a way, what I focused on most in preparing for the World Cup," Son said Friday.
He likened the tournament to a lifelong dream despite having already played 10 matches across three previous World Cups.
"They are hosting the World Cup, which for their country is a big, big deal," Son said.
The attacker noted that the team welcomes the opportunity to play competitive games in Mexico.
"We are happy to go there and challenge ourselves," Son said.
Son added that he prioritizes immediate club fixtures before transitioning his focus entirely to international duties.
"I'm never thinking about the future," Son said. "I'm always thinking day-by-day, game-by-game, so I think the most important game is on Sunday.
I just want to make sure that we get a great result before I go to the World Cup with a great feeling."
The forward dismissed concerns regarding his current domestic goal drought, during which he has recorded nine MLS assists but has yet to score this season.
"Right now, I may not be scoring many goals, but I believe goals can come at any time," he said.
He remains confident in his technical capabilities.
"The ability I have does not just disappear overnight, does it?" Son said.
In separate media availability, Son reiterated his excitement for the upcoming tournament during an interview with MLS.
"It's a great feeling.
When you're talking about the World Cup, as a soccer player, as a footballer, it's like a dream," Son told reporters on Friday.
He added that his perspective on the tournament remains unchanged since his debut in 2014.
"It doesn't matter how many World Cups you've played or how many you've experienced. The World Cup is like a dream.
I feel like I'm a little child looking forward to representing this amazing country," Son said.
Son currently has 54 international goals in 143 caps, placing him four goals behind Cha Bum-Kun's all-time national record of 58.
"It takes a lot of responsibility, but it's a huge honor for that, and I just want to have fun and make this tournament like a festival," the Taegeuk Warriors' captain said.
He highlighted the collective effort required from athletes ahead of the competition.
"Everybody's waiting for four years. As athletes, we're working for four years for this amazing tournament.
We want to have fun, have great, great results, and an amazing tournament," Son said.
Son reflected further on his experiences playing against Mexican club opposition in the Concacaf Champions Cup with LAFC.
"In Mexico, it was obviously not easy, if I'm being honest, with the altitude and all the different conditioning, but this is how it is.
They're hosting the World Cup, which for their country is a big deal," Son said.
He reiterated his enthusiasm for high-level competition.
"We're happy to go there and challenge ourselves. As athletes, you have to love those kinds of big challenges," Son said.
Addressing LAFC's recent four-game winless streak, Son maintained that team morale remains steady.
"It's hard to say when the situation is like this, but I think we are still in a good mood," Son said.
He commented on recent league defeats against Nashville SC and St. Louis CITY SC.
"Especially against Nashville and St. Louis, I don't think we deserved zero points," Son said.
Son also discussed his current on-field chemistry with teammate Denis Bouanga.
"I'm just happy to see David and the young players doing amazing. Look, last year was a little bit crazy, we say a little bit overrated," Son said.
He insisted that his individual attacking quality will manifest itself during the tournament.
"We are still working on it. I'm not really concerned.
Denis has amazing quality. My quality I have, I always believe.
I think the time will come again," Son said.
In an exclusive interview with GOAL, Son noted that his youthful enthusiasm for the sport remains intact after 12 years of senior international football.
"It doesn't matter how many World Cups you have played in; a World Cup is like a kid's dream.
As a grown man, when you're thinking about the World Cup, I feel like I'm still a child," he said to GOAL via Hyundai's Next Starts Now campaign.
He addressed his current lack of club goals by predicting a turnaround during the upcoming group stage matches.
"I'm feeling good, I'm feeling great. Obviously, I'm missing some goals, but I guess it's coming in the World Cup," he said.
Son compared his current role as team captain with his initial tournament appearance as a 21-year-old at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
"My first World Cup, I had a different role than right now. I'm captain of this national team, obviously, there's a new generation," he said.
He acknowledged the growing external expectations placed on the squad, which features European-based players like Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae and PSG's Lee Kang-in.
"Pressure means that you're doing well. That's why everybody gives you a lot of it.
I'm always thinking about the positive. It's making me a better player and a better human being," Son said.
The captain emphasized that he relies heavily on his teammates to distribute the emotional burdens of the tournament.
"You make mistakes," he admitted. "But there are also teammates who help.
So I'm always sharing the pressure with my teammates. They've been really, really good at helping me."
The squad also features German-born midfielder Jens Castrop, who is poised to become South Korea's first foreign-born World Cup player.
"It's fun, watching the new generation, and fun to play with them. I try to teach them a lot of stuff," Son said.
He noted his ongoing commitment to guiding the younger players within the international setup.
"I try to help them, try to give a lot of good things to inspire them," Son said.
Son concluded by outlining his performance philosophy for the tournament games ahead.
"We can't guarantee the results, and I don't want to say how far I can go," he said.
"I just want us to play our style of football every single game. We fight, we are aggressive."
South Korea travels to their pre-tournament training camp following LAFC's upcoming MLS regular-season match against Seattle.
