Captain Korea Son Heung-min selected 'Lee Player' without hesitation as the best legend of the World Cup... Lee Jae Sung said, "Park Jisung"

*This content was translated by AI.

Son Heung-min (34, Los Angeles FC), who is in full swing in the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) ahead of the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup, selected Lee as the best legend of the World Cup ever.

FIFA's official social networking service (SNS) account recently released a video of selecting the best legends in World Cup history considered by national team players. Son Heung-min, who is drawing attention as the captain of the Korean national team and one of the best stars of the host country, the U.S., responded without hesitation, "Cristiano Ronaldo (41, Al Nasr)" as soon as he was asked.

Unlike other players who chose icons from their own countries, Son Heung-min pointed to Portugal captain Ronaldo. Son Heung-min said in a past interview, "I grew up watching Ronaldo since Park Ji-sung played for Manchester United. He is always my biggest idol and an inspiration," he said, expressing unwavering affection.

In fact, the two players faced off on the World Cup stage. Son Heung-min and Ronaldo met in the third group match of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. At that time, Son Heung-min assisted Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers)' dramatic comeback goal at the end of the second half, which was 1-1 and led South Korea to 2-1 victory and advance to the round of 16. At the Qatar World Cup, South Korea lost to Brazil 1-4 in the round of 16, and Portugal was eliminated by Morocco 0-1 in the quarterfinals.

Ronaldo, who has already turned 41 years old, will challenge the milestone of participating in six World Cups for the first time in history at the North-China U.S. tournament. Ronaldo has scored eight goals and two assists in 22 World Cup matches so far.

Son Heung-min is also still showing his good skills after moving to LAFC. Son Heung-min is so serious about this tournament that he cited the North Korea-China World Cup as the reason for going to LAFC.

Son Heung-min has scored three goals and one assist in 10 World Cup games through three World Cups in 2014, 2018 and 2022. Son Heung-min, who made his debut by starting in the first group match against Russia at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, scored his World Cup debut goal with a sensational movement in the second match against Algeria.

At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he became the hero of Kazan's miracle that surprised the world. In the third group match against defending champion Germany at the time, he received Joo Se-jong's long pass in the second half and scored a wedge into the goal empty by Manuel Neuer, confirming Germany's first-ever elimination from the group stage.

Meanwhile, the key midfielder Lee Jae-sung (Minutes 05) of the South Korean national team picked Park Ji-sung, a Korean soccer legend, as his World Cup legend unlike Son Heung-min. In addition, Brazil's Istevan (Chelsea) selected Ronaldo, Colombia's Luis Díaz (Bayern Munich) selected Radamel Falcao, and Japan's Kubo Takefusa (Real Sociedad) selected Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo) respectively.

At this North Korea-China World Cup, South Korea will be in Group A to compete with Mexico, South Africa, and European playoff D winners. Portugal, led by Ronaldo, will face Uzbekistan and Colombia, the winners of the FIFA Playoff in Group K.

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*This content was translated by AI.