Captain Son Heung-min apologized for South Korea’s early World Cup exit, requesting encouragement instead of criticism and pledging to give his all for the country’s football supporters.
South Korea opened the tournament with a victory in Mexico but subsequently lost their next two matches, finishing third in Group A.
A draw in their final group match would have secured qualification, yet they fell 1-0 to South Africa and missed the eight best third‑placed teams.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward, who transferred to MLS club LAFC last August, was omitted from the starting lineup for that match.
The 33‑year‑old talisman was introduced in the second half, but his quest for a 2026 World Cup goal remained unfulfilled, as he failed to increase his tally of 56 senior goals.
Head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned on Sunday, and President Lee Jae‑Myung has demanded an investigation into the team’s performance.
“I don’t know where to begin,” Son wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday.external “I cannot pretend nothing happened and I refuse to evade reality.”
“First, I would like to apologize to all Korean people and to the football fans who support us.”
Son holds the record for most appearances for the men’s national team (147) and has participated in four World Cups.
