Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan also drew a 'well, maybe'... ESPN points out there is no 'definite player' to help Son Heung-min

*This content was translated by AI.

Global outlet ESPN highlighted the South Korean national football team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. While acknowledging the long-standing contributions of Son Heung-min (LAFC) as the team's ace, ESPN emphasized the need for players who can support Son Heung-min, though it did not immediately name a 'definite card.'

On the 29th (Korea time), ESPN stated, "For Korean football to reach the desired level at this North American World Cup, it is highly likely that Son Heung-min alone will not be enough. Therefore, a player in the attack line to assist Son Heung-min is needed. The first name that comes to mind is undoubtedly Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain)."

However, the outlet noted, "Lee Kang-in has been around for so long that he can no longer be called a promising prospect, yet it is also difficult to view him as a fully completed player. Despite a glittering career including three Ligue 1 titles and a 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League (UCL) title, he played only 19 minutes in PSG's UCL knockout stages. This season, he started in nearly half of the league matches but was used only as a substitute in all 10 UCL games."

Continuing, the outlet added, "Of course, the fact that he has a role at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), one of the world's top teams, is significant, and there is no doubt about Lee Kang-in's talent. However, Lee Kang-in must now show, like Son Heung-min, that he can lead South Korea to victory on the highest-level stage (the World Cup), beyond the Asian Cup or World Cup qualifiers."

In addition to Lee Kang-in, ESPN also pointed to Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton). The outlet stated, "Hwang Hee-chan may not be a naturally gifted player like Son Heung-min or Lee Kang-in, but he is never lacking in fighting spirit or dedication. Just as he scored a dramatic winning goal against Portugal in the Qatar World Cup to help South Korea advance to the round of 16, he has shown a strong presence on big stages."

However, the outlet also noted his significant slump this season. It remarked, "Hwang Hee-chan endured what can only be described as his worst season. His club, Wolverhampton, was relegated to the bottom of the English Premier League (EPL). Hwang started in only 19 of 31 matches and scored just three goals across all competitions."

ESPN stated, "If the generation immediately following Son Heung-min is insufficient, we may need to look to even younger players. Baek Jun-ho (Stoke City) and Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic FC) possess dazzling talent but have yet to show they can become South Korea's key players on the highest-level stage. Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas) has also established himself at Besiktas, but he is the same age as Lee Kang-in. Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland) made a surprise impact in the Qatar World Cup but has not shown particularly standout performances since."

The outlet analyzed that the fact that veteran striker Joo Min-kyu (Daejeon Hana Citizen), born in 1990, once wore the national team jersey is also evidence that South Korea has not yet found a definite resource to relieve Son Heung-min's burden. ESPN explained, "The South Korean national team once even gave Joo Min-kyu A-match opportunities. Of course, considering his goal-scoring ability shown in K League 1 at the time, Joo Min-kyu deserved those chances. However, the very fact that they relied on a K League player of his age shows how urgently they were searching for a solution to relieve Son Heung-min's goal-scoring burden."

It further added, "In fact, the question about Korean football in this World Cup may not be 'Who can help Son Heung-min?' The real question may be 'Who will lead Korean football after Son Heung-min?' This issue is likely to become reality immediately after this tournament ends. Son Heung-min cannot even guarantee his participation in the World Cup four years from now. South Korean football may now need to prepare for an era without Son Heung-min."

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*This content was translated by AI.