Led by the Tottenham striker, the Asian team dreams of repeating the role of their World Cup
He will play with a mask on his face after undergoing surgery for fractures in his eye socket.
When in 2002 South Korea was eliminated in the semifinals of its World Cup for Germany with a goal from Michael Ballack, Heung-min Son had 13 days left to turn 10.
In Qatar that child will be the cornerstone of a team that dreams of repeating the feat carried out two decades ago.. There were some doubts about the participation of the Tottenham striker in the World Cup due to some fractures in his eye socket that forced him to undergo surgery on November 4. The coach Paulo Bento, however, was in charge of dispelling them all, assuring that he was going to play with a mask.
The ‘Tigers of the East’ are planted in a World Cup for the tenth consecutive time, a fact that only teams of the level of Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Spain can boast of. In addition to Son, other players such as In-beom (Olympiacos), Jae-sung (Mainz 05), Hee-chan (Wolves) or the Mallorcan player Kang-in Lee, who is aiming for the bench, will have to be closely watched.
COACH
Paulo Bento. He took over after the World Cup in Russia and has managed to give the group a specific style: the counterattack.
STAR
Heung-min Son. The Tottenham striker, a South Korean symbol, is the undisputed reference of the team. The whole game revolves around him.
IDEAL ELEVEN
South Korea (4-2-3-1): Seung-gyu; Moon-Hwan, Min-Jae, Young-Gwon, Jin-Su; Woo-Young, In-Beom; Chang-Hoon, Jae-Sung, Son; Hee-chan.