By Peter Rutherford
SEOUL, June 1 (Reuters) – South Korean fans have long wondered who will provide the goals when Son Heung-min hangs up his boots, but if the 33-year-old striker’s scoring slump continues heading into the World Cup some may feel now is the time to let someone else lead the line.
Son has plenty of credit in the bank after carrying the national team on his shoulders for years and is likely to be the first name on coach Hong Myung-bo’s team sheet for Korea’s opening Group A game against the Czech Republic on June 11.
His international performances, as well as for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, earned him superstar status back home but after swapping Spurs for Los Angeles FC in 2025 there have been signs that his sharpness in front of goal may be fading.
Son failed to score in 13 straight league games to start the 2026 season and while he continues to provide assists for LAFC South Korea rely heavily on his goals.
With 56 international goals he trails only Cha Bum-kun (58) on South Korea’s all-time scoring list. The next highest scorer in Hong’s squad is Hwang Hee-chan with 17 but the Wolverhampton Wanderers man tends to play as a wide forward rather than a central striker.
Son looked more like his old self with a double in South Korea’s 5-0 rout of Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly on Saturday but if the goals do not start to flow more regularly, Hong may look to play him in a support role with Oh Hyeon-gyu leading the line.
The former Celtic forward has made an immediate impact since joining Besiktas and would offer a more physical presence.
Son was close to ending his international career after Korea’s semi-final exit at the Asian Cup in 2024 and it is unlikely he will stay on after the World Cup.
His exit will leave Korea short on leadership and star power with only Lee Kang-in at Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae plying their trade at elite-level European clubs.
The Koreans know they must take something from their group opener against an experienced Czech side if they are to advance, with co-hosts Mexico sure to prove a tougher test on home soil in their second match.
They close out their group campaign against South Africa.
Most pundits give the Koreans little chance of going beyond the round of 16 but in their 11th straight World Cup appearance they are more than capable of springing a surprise and few will forget their run to the semi-finals on home soil in 2002.
(Reporting by Peter Rutherford, Editing by Ed Osmond)
Comments