Heung-min Son

Analysis: Son struggled in Thursday's loss, as the South Korean forward was unable to record a single shot against the Mexican defense. This would eventually lead to his exit from the field, as he would be subbed off in the 57th minute. He should return to the starting XI in a very important match against South Africa on June 24, likely needing at least a point to advance.

Jun 11, 2026

Six shots, zero goals during win

Son logged six shots (one on goal), two crosses (zero accurate) and two corners in Thursday's 2-1 win against the Czech Republic.

Analysis: Korea Republic's team entered the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cup with Son as its best player. Fast-forward to 2026, his fourth World Cup, and it is far from certain, unlike years before. Being the captain and placed up top, it should not be surprising that Son valiantly logged Korea's most shots, more than those from any two of his teammates combined. But for the first time since 2014, he was subbed off in a World Cup game. Son's replacement, Oh Hyun-Gyu, stepped up by scoring what resulted in the game-winning goal. How the Koreans will react to this development is interesting, especially given that Son is not in goal-scoring form, having not scored a non-friendly goal across 2026 thus far.