Papesar consoled Captain Son Heung-min.
South Korea’s national soccer team (ranking 23rd in FIFA rankings), led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, knelt 0-2 to Jordan (ranked 87th in FIFA) in the semi-final of the 2023 꽁머니 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Alayan, Qatar, at midnight on the 7th (Korea time). South Korea, which was called a strong favorite, failed to advance to the final and was eliminated.
The match was completely pushed back in terms of outcome and content. Korea rarely fought back against Jordan, who was armed with high tempo and strong pressure. Even if the team had few chances, it often hit the post or turned a blind eye to the goal. The team had a poor game throughout the entire tournament, which was the same again this time.
This could be Son’s last challenge for the Asian Cup. This is why expectations were high for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar like Lionel Messi. Still, Klinsmann was colorless and ruthless, and even Son failed to prevent his team from losing.
Son Heung-min said, “I’m very upset and I don’t know what to say. I think it’s true that I lost because I wasn’t good enough. I think Jordan prepared a lot and played a good game. It was a tournament where I felt I wasn’t good enough to lead the team on my own. I feel sorry for the players.”
“I will have to think about whether I can continue playing for the national team in the future. The coach may not think about me. The players did nothing wrong. I think I should be reprimanded. I was not good enough to lead the team. I feel a lot of responsibility. I will try harder from now on,” he said, bowing his head.
As always, he left a message for his Korean fans. Son Heung-min said, “As I was playing the Asian Cup that many people had been looking forward to, I was too late to thank you because I was too focused on the game.” Then, he said, “I felt heavy and sad to return to London after the game, but I arrived safely. As a captain, I wasn’t good enough and I think I wasn’t able to lead the team well. Despite this, I was very proud to be a Korean soccer player because you showed so much love and support. Thank you and I’m sorry.” He promised next time.
Son Heung-min left for England and returned to his team safely. Tottenham welcomed the captain back to Hussper Way with a comment on its Instagram, “Welcome back, Son Heung-min.” A video of his reunion with Sarr, who showed sweet chemistry among his teammates, was shared. Sarr comforted the captain, Son, who would have had a hard time eliminating the Asian Cup by sharing a hug.
Son Heung-min will leave the unfortunate Asian Cup behind and focus on his team Tottenham again.
