'Son Heung-min's fourth World Cup: "I worked harder than necessary... I want to see my preparations bloom" [Q&A on the eve of the Czech Republic match]

*This content was translated by AI.

Son Heung-min (34, LAFC), captain of the South Korean national football team, expressed his strong determination ahead of his fourth World Cup finals stage.

Hong Myung-bo's team will face the Czech Republic in the first Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America at Estadio Akron at 11 a.m. (Korean time) on the 12th.

At the official press conference at the stadium at 2:30 p.m. (local time) on the 11th, one day before the decisive match, Son Heung-min said, "I am happy to be able to play on the stage I have dreamed of since childhood. The players have trained together in the U.S. and worked harder than necessary. We will do our best to produce results in a good atmosphere."

This tournament is a very meaningful stage for Son Heung-min. He made his World Cup debut as the youngest player at the 2014 Brazil tournament, starting every match and scoring his first goal. At the 2018 Russia tournament, he scored against both Mexico and Germany. At the 2022 Qatar tournament, he provided a decisive pass to Hwang Hee-chan's winning goal in the final match against Portugal, leading the team to an away round of 16 miracle.

-You will face Patrik Schick. It is also a matchup against your Bayer Leverkusen junior.

"This is not an individual sport. I am thinking about how the national team can win. He is an excellent player. There are parts I need to be careful about, but this is a match between South Korea and the Czech Republic, not an individual one. I am thinking about how to play better and how to make plays that help the team."

-What is your determination for the World Cup?

"My mindset is similar no matter when I go to the World Cup. It feels like a stage where a child dreams. There were many painful moments before, but I am preparing for the World Cup while thinking about the good games we played. We are preparing well with the help of all the players."

-You are approaching your fourth World Cup. If you had to express your feelings in one word.

"It is difficult to express the World Cup in one word. I think of it as a dream stage. Whether it is the first time, the fourth time, or the sixth time, the mindset for going to the World Cup will be the same. There may be changes with more experience, but the heart remains the same."

-As captain, how prepared is the squad, and what is the atmosphere?

"The squad's atmosphere has been good since the initial call-up. There were no problems. In my view, they have always done more than what they should have done for the national team. They prepared with such passion that I had to calm them down. I want to say that I hope their preparations will bloom. They are players who certainly have the qualification for that. The squad's atmosphere is good, and they are preparing well."

-As a goal scorer, what preparations have you made against the tall defenders of the Czech Republic who have good physical conditions?

"Each player has strengths and weaknesses. The Czech Republic has many good players playing in a good league. I am not thinking about how to handle them individually. It is important to help the team by receiving help from the team and playing in the role I have always done. Since they are players with strengths, they must have weaknesses too. I am also such a player, and it will be important to analyze that well and play my best on the field."

-There are words that this tournament could be your last World Cup. There is also a nickname 'Son-nal-du'. (Mexican reporter)

"There are many Mexicans in Los Angeles. I feel their love and passion for football very much. I am sincerely grateful. I have never definitively said that this is my last World Cup. I thought what I do is important. It is free to say whatever, but I will choose and decide carefully."

"It is embarrassing to hear such a nickname."

-You have come to the stadium where you must play the first two matches. How does it feel? Do you feel the reality of the World Cup?

"There was a preparation period, and ultimately the World Cup was the final goal. Seeing many reporters, the locker room, and the grass at the stadium, it feels like the festival of the World Cup, the flower of football, is unfolding. I am very excited and looking forward to it. I want to do well. I think that feeling is the biggest."

-What do you think about the Czech players? I think you might know Tomáš Souček (Czech reporter).

"It is cautious to evaluate the Czech Republic. They came up by beating two strong teams in the World Cup final qualifiers, so there must be reasons for that. So South Korea must also be cautious. The Czech Republic has many good players and many players playing in a good league."

-You once said that when you go to the World Cup, the players' eyes change, including their opponents. Do you think the players' eyes will change tomorrow?

"Since there is a World Cup preparation period, it seems they are preparing even more specially. The squad's atmosphere is too good, and they have prepared well. I feel that they have prepared well. They are preparing well in their respective positions."

-Is the high altitude okay?

"Fortunately, I experienced the high altitude before coming to the national team. It had a big impact. Not only me, but other players also had similar feelings. Performance should be shown well. We worked hard and prepared well. I hope the flowers of our hard work will bloom."

-There are various external evaluations. What is the importance of the first match?

"I am not a person who lives only for tomorrow. Today is most important to me. It is important to develop today, and I will think about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. There are three group stage matches. Since each match is a game where life is at stake, I will not think about anything else and will focus on training. I will do it when tomorrow becomes tomorrow. It will be most important to do more than what we have to do."

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*This content was translated by AI.