Chinese player: “Son Heung-min isn’t that scary.”
Son Heung-min: “In football, we should always respect all players.”
Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min has taken a firm stance regarding comments made by a Chinese player who vowed to keep him in check during a match.
The South Korean national soccer team, coached by Jürgen Klinsmann, celebrated a 3-0 victory in the Asian second-round qualifier for the 2026 North Central America World Cup (co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.) on November 21 (Korean time) at the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Center in China.
South Korea’s Victory and Son Heung-min’s Performance
With this win, South Korea avenged their 0-1 loss to China in the Asian final qualifier for the 2018 Russia World Cup held in Changsha, China, in March 2017. Furthermore, they have established a dominant record against China in recent A-matches, with four wins and one draw in the last five encounters.
Captain Son Heung-min started the match and played a crucial role in leading the South Korean team’s attack with his impressive performance. He scored a penalty kick goal in the 11th minute and a header goal in the 45th minute of the first half.
After the match, Son Heung-min expressed his joy over the victory with reporters in a mixed zone (a joint interview area).
He notably drew attention by expressing his displeasure at the Chinese players’ attempts to keep him under control during the match.
Before the match, Chinese defender Zhang Xizhe had confidently stated, “Watch how I stop Son Heung-min.” Similarly, former Chinese defender Zhou Mingjian had dismissively remarked, “Son Heung-min is not that scary of a player.”
Response to Chinese Players’ Comments
Son Heung-min responded, “I honestly felt upset when I heard them say they ‘don’t worry about me’ and ‘know how to stop me.’ As a soccer player, I always respect and honor all players, so as the national team captain, I thought I should set an example in response to these comments. Of course, the best way to respond is on the pitch, and I could do that with my teammates’ support.”
Regarding his pre-match comment that he would “make sure China can’t even breathe,” Son said, “That was a call to play a tough, good match, and the players responded well. We could deliver the kind of play our coach wanted on the pitch, which resulted in a good game.”
Pre-Match Motivation and Response
The Klinsmann-led team will now focus on the Asian Cup, which takes place in January 2023, after wrapping up their A-matches for 2023 with the match against China.
Son Heung-min shared his thoughts on the upcoming Asian Cup: “It’s no secret that we’re aiming for victory. Everyone knows this, and teams certainly see us as a contender for the title. However, if we stay humble and prepare well, we can have a good tournament.”
He added, “As a team and as individual players, we have a lot of talent. We need to think about how we can maximize our synergy. Returning to our respective clubs and preparing without injuries will be the most important factor in our preparations for the Asian Cup.”
Before the match, Son Heung-min had expressed his determination for victory, saying, “I’ve heard that the stadium will be packed tomorrow. Let’s show them the kind of soccer we want to play, make them breathless, and return home victorious.”
Son Heung-min, who had encouraged his teammates with these words, proved his commitment on the actual field.
He scored the team’s first goal with a penalty kick in the 11th minute, which Hwang Hee-chan won. Then, in the 45th minute of the first half, he redirected a corner kick from Lee Kang-in with a header to powerfully shake the Chinese goal net. In the 42nd minute of the second half, Son’s right-footed free kick connected with a header by Jung Seung-hyun, resulting in the third goal.
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