With Son Heung-min substituted early, excluded from the starting lineup — "Hong Myung-bo's shocking decision" shocks foreign media twice... Criticized for failed tactical gamble

*This content was translated by AI.

Another question mark has emerged over how Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national football team, utilized Son Heung-min (LAFC). Son Heung-min, who drew attention with an early substitution in matches ahead of the group stage, was this time excluded from the starting lineup. As a result, South Korea suffered a painful defeat, and overseas media also pointed out Hong Myung-bo's tactical failure.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to South Africa in the final third match of the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup A Group stage, held on the 25th (Korea time) at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico.

In this tournament, South Korea was grouped in Group A with host nation Mexico, Czechia, and South Africa. They secured a 2-1 comeback victory against Czechia in the first match but lost 0-1 to Mexico in the second. Even a draw against South Africa would have been enough for South Korea to advance to the Round of 32 as the second-place team in Group A. However, falling 0-1 to South Africa, ranked 60th in the FIFA rankings, they missed their chance to qualify on their own.

In Group A, Mexico finished first with three wins (9 points) and advanced to the Round of 32. South Africa recorded one win, one draw, and one loss (4 points), finishing second in the group and reaching the tournament stage. South Korea ended in third place in the group with one win and two losses (3 points), while Czechia finished last in fourth place with one draw and two losses (1 point).

The most striking decision of the day was the exclusion of captain Son Heung-min from the starting lineup. Even though Son Heung-min has yet to score in this tournament, he remains South Korea's ace and the core of their attack. His mere presence on the field places a significant burden on the opposing defense. However, coach Hong Myung-bo opted for Oh Hyun-kyu (Besiktas) as the forward in the 3-4-2-1 formation instead of Son Heung-min.

Ultimately, this decision ended in failure. South Korea seemed to gain momentum early in the first half with a header from Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) and a shot from Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), but they were later shaken by South Africa's quick transitions and aggressive attacks. Oh Hyun-kyu, positioned at the front, was often isolated throughout the first half and struggled to create clear shooting opportunities. Lee Kang-in, playing in the second line, tried to bring changes by advancing with the ball, but the attack did not flow smoothly.

Coach Hong Myung-bo substituted Son Heung-min in right at the start of the second half. However, the flow of the game did not change significantly. In fact, South Korea conceded the decisive goal in the 18th minute of the second half to Tafelo Maseko (AEL Limassol). Son Heung-min recorded one shot, but it was blocked by the opposing defense. His specialty, dribbling breakthroughs, also failed to materialize. Coach Hong Myung-bo's tactical gamble of excluding Son Heung-min from the starting lineup ultimately did not work.

The British media outlet The Sun also focused on this scene. After the match, the outlet stated, "Coach Hong Myung-bo made a shocking decision to exclude the team's captain, Son Heung-min, who is widely regarded as Asia's all-time greatest player, from the starting lineup." It further reported, "Coach Hong Myung-bo made three substitutions, including Son Heung-min, right at the start of the second half to change the flow of the game," but added, "South Korea pushed hard for an equalizer in the final moments, but time was insufficient."

The Sun had also predicted before the match that Son Heung-min would score against South Africa. During this World Cup, the outlet has been comparing AI prediction systems with analyses from football and betting experts. Regarding Son Heung-min's performance against South Africa, it stated, "Seven AI prediction models reached a single conclusion: Son Heung-min will be on the list of goal scorers."

A football expert also explained, "I also expected the former Tottenham star to find the back of the net. He was substituted at a somewhat early timing during the previous loss to Mexico, which might have been disappointing for the player himself. This time, facing South Africa, which had to raise its line to secure a win, Son Heung-min breaking through the space behind fits my prediction perfectly."

However, Hong Myung-bo's bold selection completely missed these expectations. After the match, Hong Myung-bo explained his decision to exclude Son Heung-min from the starting lineup, stating, "I judged it would be better to bring him in after 45 minutes when space opens up, rather than during the first half when the opponent is strong." The plan was to rely on Son Heung-min's speed and finishing ability in the second half after surviving the first half.

However, Reuters also analyzed that South Korea's tactical gamble did not work. Reuters reported, "South Korea, starting the match with ace Son Heung-min on the bench, ended up with only one point." It further evaluated, "Although South Korea dominated most of the possession, they lacked sharpness and creativity in attack."

Reuters also noted, "South Korea continued to struggle to create clear opportunities even after substituting captain Son Heung-min in right at the start of the second half." On the other hand, it explained, "South Africa, who held firm against the early pressure, eventually secured the appropriate reward."

Son Heung-min has received limited playing opportunities in this tournament. He started both the first match against Czechia and the second against Mexico but was substituted out early in the second half on both occasions. Overseas media have frequently mentioned Hong Myung-bo's bold decisions. On top of that, the surprising decision to exclude him from the starting lineup was made. However, Hong Myung-bo's tactical gambles, except for the first match, all ended in failure. In the match against Czechia, they secured a 2-1 comeback victory. However, they lost both the second and third matches.

Starting from this tournament, the number of participating countries in the World Cup has increased from 32 to 48. Accordingly, the top two teams from each of the 12th groups, along with the eight best-performing third-place teams among the 12 third-place teams, will advance to the Round of 32. South Korea still has a chance. However, qualifying on their own is no longer possible. South Korea, which could have advanced to the Round of 32 with just a draw against South Africa, now has to wait for results from other groups.

In contrast, South Africa has been eliminated in the group stage at the World Cup finals in 1998, 2002, and 2010, but this time they have succeeded in reaching the tournament stage for the first time in their history. Hugo Broos, who has led the South African national team since 2021, said, "It was a fantastic experience. The match against South Korea was tough, but it was a good game. I think tactically we were very good. South Korea struggled to find space." He added, "For the 20th minutes after we scored the goal, there were moments that felt like our hearts stopped. It is historic. I am happy for the players. I have been with them for five years," expressing his gratitude.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.