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Son Heung-min joins S. Korean team, status for group finale in air

January 14, 2019

Red-hot Tottenham Hotspur offensive star Son Heung-min finally joined South Korea at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup on Monday, ready to lift the country to heights it hasn’t reached in nearly six decades.

In his absence, South Korea won their first two Group C matches, over the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan, to secure a spot in the round of 16. And with the group finale against China set for Wednesday, Son said there is still much more he and the team would like to accomplish.

“We’re here to win the championship, not just to make it past the group stage,” Son said in a press conference at Yas Island Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi. “We have to make sacrifices to make that happen. And no matter who the opponents are, we have to think they’re stronger than our side. That sort of a mindset will have a huge impact on matches.”

The 26-year-old arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for his third Asian Cup, to much fanfare, on Monday, just a day after playing against Manchester United in the Premier League.

South Korean forward Son Heung-min speaks at a press conference at Yas Island Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 14, 2019, two days prior to a Group C match against China at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates. (Yonhap)
South Korean forward Son Heung-min signs his Tottenham Hotspur jersey for a fan after arriving at Dubai International Airport for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 14, 2019. (Yonhap)
South Korean forward Son Heung-min smiles during a press conference at Yas Island Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 14, 2019, two days prior to a Group C match against China at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates. (Yonhap)

South Korean forward Son Heung-min speaks at a press conference at Yas Island Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 14, 2019, two days prior to a Group C match against China at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates. (Yonhap)