Son Heung-min and the '96LINE': An Awkward Coexistence? Manager Moreno Faces a Dilemma Over the November National Team Roster

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Roberto Moreno (Spain), the interim head coach of the national football team, has been plunged into deep contemplation. The cause is the alleged conflict between the captain group, including Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz 05), and the so-called '96LINE', which includes Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Hwang In-beom (FC Porto), and Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke 04). Amid the silence of those involved, rumors of internal strife within the national team have even been discussed during the National Assembly's State Audit, further increasing public interest. For Manager Moreno, who must immediately form the November national team roster, the concerns can only grow.

Manager Moreno will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. on the 29th at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, to announce the November senior national team roster. The Moreno-led squad will play two away matches in the Middle East against Saudi Arabia at 11:30 p.m. (Korean time) on the 13th of next month and Qatar at 11 p.m. on the 17th, both held in Doha, Qatar.

However, the issue is the rumor of internal strife that emerged immediately after the four-match A-match series in September last month. The controversy intensified as news surfaced suggesting that the alleged joint retirement of the '96LINE' from the national team was driven by a conflict with Son Heung-min. As critical public opinion poured out toward the '96LINE', who were seen as using their de facto retirement from the national team as leverage to voice dissatisfaction, questions also arose regarding Son Heung-min's leadership, intertwined with the ongoing internal controversies within the national team during his long tenure as captain. The controversy was further fueled when suspicions emerged during the State Audit that some players referred to Son Heung-min as 'Number 7' or 'that person'.

An even greater problem is the immense importance of this November away two-match series. From the perspective of the Korean national team, these matches serve as the final preparatory friendlies ahead of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia next January. To overcome the underperformance at the 2026 FIFA North-Central America World Cup and make a comeback, strong results at the Asian Cup are essential, and achieving clear success in these two matches against Middle Eastern teams immediately before the tournament is necessary for that purpose.

Moreover, from Manager Moreno's perspective, this is also his final two-match series under contract. The interim head coach's contract runs until the 27th of next month. He will temporarily command only six A-matches this year, and his decision to lead the team at the Asian Cup will be determined based on evaluations of these matches. Although he recorded a record of two wins, one draw, and one loss in the September A-matches, he did not demonstrate impressive performance, making this effectively Manager Moreno's last chance. It is therefore a natural step to call up the so-called best players.

In this context, attention is focused on what choice Manager Moreno will make regarding the 'parties involved in the controversy' as he prepares the national team roster. Although they are key players for the Mo Du (CEO) team, since the conflict has already surfaced, an 'awkward coexistence' is inevitable during the recall process for a while. The possibility that minor actions or remarks among players during training or matches during the camp period will be over-interpreted has also increased. The atmosphere of the national team camp itself cannot help but be uncomfortable.

On the other hand, excluding only one of the two groups in conflict from this camp would inevitably lead to another controversy for the commander leading the national team. The option of excluding all parties involved goes beyond the issue of losing strength in preparation for the important two-match A-match series; it can only be perceived as officially formalizing the conflict within the squad at the national team level. This is the background behind why Manager Moreno, caught in a dilemma, cannot help but deepen his concerns.

Initially, weight is given to the possibility that all players will be called up, considering the importance of the A-match two-match series and other factors. While the deepened rift in the conflict is unlikely to be resolved easily, since it has only just surfaced, there is a possibility that the team will try to find clues internally after the camp begins. The key lies in how to manage the inevitably uncomfortable atmosphere within the national team. After completing the September A-match four-match series, Manager Moreno stated, "We must recognize that no player is greater than the team," and added, "It is also important to adhere to the principle of looking each other in the face when problems arise and resolving matters that happen internally within the internal sphere."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original