Some South Korean newspapers expressed disappointment with the performance of captain forward Son Heung-min against the Czech Republic in the 2026 World Cup group stage on the morning of June 12.
In Group A, South Korea came from behind to defeat the Czech Republic with a score of 2-1 to claim their first victory at the 2026 World Cup. Despite high expectations from fans, captain Son Heung-min had an ineffective day on the pitch.
After Son was substituted in the 69th minute, My Daily commented: “Unbelievable, Son looked lost. He took 5 shots but still failed to score. As a result, Son had to be substituted.”
In the article, the South Korean newspaper stated that Son was not in top form in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup. If the LAFC forward had better capitalized on his chances, the South Korean national team could have actually opened the scoring right in the first half.
Meanwhile, Best Eleven pointed out that midfielder Hwang In-beom was the one who stole Son’s spotlight in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup. The Feyenoord player shined with one goal and one assist, thereby helping South Korea secure all 3 points.
FotMob gave Son a 7 rating after nearly 70 minutes of play against the Czech Republic. The LAFC striker only managed a mere 1 shot on target and missed a clear-cut opportunity when facing the opposition’s goalkeeper.
Before the match took place, Son entered South Korean football history as the second player to participate in four World Cups. This achievement puts him on par with legend Hong Myung-bo, who is currently also the head coach of the South Korean national team.
After the first round of matches, South Korea temporarily ranks second in Group A, behind hosts Mexico due to an inferior goal difference.
