Despite low stakes, Son Heung-min driven to beat China in World Cup qualifier at home

Even with his South Korean team having far less at stake than China in their upcoming World Cup qualifying match in Seoul, captain Son Heung-min said Monday he wants nothing less than a victory.

South Korea will host China at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Seoul World Cup Stadium in their final Group C match of the second round in the Asian World Cup qualification.

South Korea, fresh off a 7-0 trouncing of Singapore last Thursday, have already secured the top spot in their group and thus a ticket to the third round, which kicks off in September.

China, on the other hand, need at least a draw Tuesday to join South Korea in the next phase, or Thailand, currently three points back of China in third place, could leapfrog them.

Though South Korea sit 65 places above China in the FIFA rankings at No. 23, Son, captain for both the national team and Tottenham Hotspur, said he won’t take any team lightly.

“There’s no such thing as an easy match,” Son said at the prematch press conference at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul. “For those of us in Europe, this is the last match of the season. So we want to have a good finish. Plus, our fans will expect nothing less than quality football from the team. No matter what, we absolutely have to win tomorrow’s match.”

When asked if a large throng of Chinese supporters in Seoul could make a difference, Son said, “We have to respect the passion they have for football. It could be a factor, but since we’re the home team, I am sure our supporters will make their presence felt.

“We can’t control whatever happens away from the pitch,” Son continued. “We just have to focus on playing our game and doing things that we can do.”

In the convincing win over Singapore last week, Son netted two goals. He now has 48 goals for South Korea, just two back of former striker Hwang Sun-hong on the country’s all-time scoring list. Another former star, Cha Bum-kun, sits atop the rankings with 58 goals.

Cha finished his career with 136 matches under his belt, and is tied with former defender Hong Myung-bo for most caps for South Korea. Son is at 126 caps and counting. At this rate, Son, who will turn 32 in July, should surpass Cha in both appearances and goals for the national team before his international career is done.

Son Heung-min, captain of the South Korean men’s national football team, speaks during a press conference at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on June 10, 2024, the eve of a World Cup qualifying match against China. (Yonhap)

“I am honored just to be mentioned in the same breath as those great names,” Son said. “It’s all thanks to teammates and coaches that I’ve had that I’ve been able to enjoy such a consistent career.”

Reflecting on the second round of the World Cup qualification, Son noted that the national team had undergone significant changes. South Korea fired their head coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, in February, and they are now on to their second caretaker manager, Kim Do-hoon, in three months. But the beloved captain insisted his mindset on playing for the country hasn’t wavered.

“Players that came before me have all shown me the importance of representing the country, and I’ve been doing the best I can not to let fans down,” Son said. “I don’t know how much longer I can play for the country. But as long as I am wearing this uniform, I am going to compete with a sense of pride.”