Coach Cha Bum-kun's bold remarks: "Son Heung-min plays more comfortably on the wing, but in Korea..." [World Cup Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korean football legend and former coach Cha Bum-kun expressed firm confidence in Hong Myung-bo's key striker Son Heung-min (LAFC).

Former coach Cha Bum-kun has returned to Mexico, where his first World Cup journey began, 40 years later to watch the Hong Myung-bo team's match live.

The most striking point in this interview was the evaluation of Son Heung-min. Coincidentally, when Cha was at the 1986 Mexico World Cup, where he burned his final spark as a player, he was 33 years old. Currently, Son Heung-min, who is competing in the 2026 North American World Cup, is also 33 years old.

In a recent interview with FIFA, former coach Cha Bum-kun said regarding Son Heung-min, who has not scored in two consecutive matches, "I do not think Son Heung-min's performance has dropped at all, but naturally, it may take a bit more time for his physical recovery." He firmly stated, "The skills he has accumulated over the years will not disappear overnight." This means Son Heung-min is still maintaining world-class ability.

He then deeply analyzed Son Heung-min's tactical role and effectiveness within the Hyeon Jae (CEO) team. Former coach Cha said, "Son Heung-min seems to feel more comfortable playing on the wing rather than in the center," but added, "However, tactically, Korea has deployed Son Heung-min as a central striker. Thanks to this strategy, he was able to score two goals against the Czech Republic, and I believe Son Heung-min played a very good role for the team."

Even if Son Heung-min does not record official shots or goals, he pointed out that he is faithfully fulfilling the role of a decoy that draws in the opposing defense simply by his presence. Former coach Cha explained, "Placing him at the front allows us to apply significant pressure on the opponent, which creates space for other players." He further explained that thanks to the space created by Son Heung-min, the entire national team's attacking avenues have opened up.

Additionally, Coach Cha Bum-kun recalled the regret of not being able to display his full abilities due to injury during the 1986 tournament. He said, "At that time, there were no Korean players playing in Europe," but added, "In contrast, today's players have improved their skills, and almost all players have gained rich experience by playing abroad. Now, they no longer feel intimidated when entering a match." He expressed great pride, especially noting that Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City) and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), who are playing a central role in this tournament, are also graduates of the Cha Bum-kun Soccer School, which former coach Cha established after his retirement.

Furthermore, former coach Cha expressed hope that his juniors will open a brighter future for South Korean football through this stage. He said, "The performance our players are showing now can serve as a foundation for the next generation," and emphasized, "I believe Korea has sufficient ability to reach the quarterfinals. If fans continue to support us, South Korea will eventually be able to achieve the true dream of winning the World Cup."

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*This content was translated by AI.