South Korea’s captain and record goalscorer arrived at the team’s training camp in Salt Lake City this week under significant scrutiny.
The 33-year-old has scored just two goals since leaving Tottenham for Los Angeles FC in August 2025 and South Korea head to the World Cup on the back of heavy friendly defeats to Ivory Coast and Austria.
But Son was in no mood to entertain the concern.
“A lot of people are worried, but I’m only worried if I’m not playing well,” he told reporters. “I don’t think it’s the case now. Physically, I am feeling great.”
South Korea face the Czech Republic in Guadalajara on 11 June before meeting South Africa and co-hosts Mexico in Group A – a group that includes Bafana Bafana in what promises to be a fascinating three-way battle for qualification.
Son has scored 54 goals in 143 appearances for his country across more than 15 years of international football. He currently shares South Korea’s World Cup scoring record of three goals with Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan and could break it outright in North America.
He insisted personal milestones are not on his mind.
“If I put the team above all else and worry about how I can help the team first, then goals will naturally follow.”
– AFP
Photo: Luiza Moraes/Getty Images
