Heung-min Son

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.

Jun 3, 2026

Set for major role in World Cup

Son is South Korea's top offensive talent and is expected to start throughout the upcoming international competition.

Analysis: At 33 years old, Son will look to make his mark in a fourth World Cup after finishing as the second-leading scorer in Asian qualifying with 10 goals, while adding four assists across 13 matches played. South Korea's captain remains the focal point of the attack and should be the team's first choice from the penalty spot. He's also likely to share a large portion of the corner- and free-kick duties with Kang-In Lee, increasing his already strong offensive upside. While his current stint with LAFC has been marked by a lack of goals, Son currently leads the MLS with eight assists, highlighting his playmaking ability. He should hold an almost guaranteed place in the lineup for a squad that is perfectly capable of threatening its first three rivals in the initial stage of the World Cup.

Heung-min Son

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Six shots, zero goals during win

Set for major role in World Cup

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