"Son Heung-min has not yet overcome the regret of the World Cup, nor physically..." LAFC coach's "honest confession"

*This content was translated by AI.

Son Heung-min (34, LAFC), who has completed the schedule for the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean Qualifiers with the South Korean national football team, has returned to his club and is ready for his first Major League Soccer (MLS) match of the season. With the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup behind him, it is now time for a turnaround by scoring his first goal of the MLS season.

Son Heung-min's club LAFC will face LA Galaxy at 11:25 a.m. (Korea time) on the 18th. As this is the first match after the World Cup and a fierce local rivalry, there is great interest in whether Son Heung-min will play.

The outlook for Son Heung-min's participation is bright. According to LAFC's official social networking service (SNS), Son Heung-min has completed his return preparations by participating in recent team training with a cheerful expression.

Marc Dos Santos, LAFC coach, also welcomed Son Heung-min's return. In a pre-match interview, he said, "I am happy that Son Heung-min has returned to LAFC." He added, "Since becoming the LAFC coach, I have felt a lot seeing the immense passion Korean fans show not only for Son Heung-min but also for the South Korean national team. I have also closely followed every detail and situation of the South Korean national team without missing anything."

He continued, "As a coach, my role is to help key players regain confidence at their club and contribute to the team." He explained, "I communicate with Son Heung-min every day to determine his return timing. There is great anticipation for him to play again."

However, it may take some time to fully overcome the shock of being eliminated in the World Cup group stage. The South Korean national football team recorded one win and two losses in this World Cup, failing to advance to the round of 32. Although they defeated Czech Republic 2-1 in the first match, they suffered two consecutive defeats against Mexico in the second match and South Africa in the final match (both 0-1), finishing the tournament in 34th place overall.

It seems this World Cup failure was particularly shocking for Son Heung-min, who wore the captain's armband. In a pre-match interview, when asked about Son Heung-min's physical and mental condition, Coach Dos Santos offered an honest assessment.

Coach Dos Santos said, "His psychological state while training together within the club is excellent," but added, "However, Son Heung-min loves his country and wanted to achieve good results at the World Cup. If you ask whether he has completely emotionally overcome the regrets from the World Cup, I would say no."

Regarding his physical condition, he stated, "It will not be perfect. This is because all players have returned after five weeks of rest." He explained, "They returned after spending the break and began pre-season training. They need to improve their physical condition through training and actual matches. This applies to all players."

Son Heung-min has been active as a key attacker for his team this season, recording two goals and 15 assists in 21 official matches. In particular, on the MLS stage, he started in 12 matches and provided no fewer than eight assists, fully fulfilling his role as an elite playmaker.

However, he has yet to score in the regular league. Both of his two goals this season were scored in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

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*This content was translated by AI.