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Son urges teammates to learn from 4-0 drubbing by Ivory Coast

Published: 29 Mar. 2026, 12:51 Updated: 30 Mar. 2026, 16:43

Korea's Son Heung-min dribbles the ball during a friendly against Ivory Coast at Stadium MK in England on March 28. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

With Korea trying to pick up the pieces after a 4-0 loss to Ivory Coast in their friendly match in England on Saturday, captain Son Heung-min insisted the team must use the occasion as a learning experience.

Korea conceded two goals in each half and struck the goal post thrice at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, northwest of London, in their first match of 2026, the year of the FIFA World Cup.

With the clock ticking down on the big tournament in June, the humbling loss could hardly have come at a worse moment for the Taegeuk Warriors.

In a televised interview afterward, Son apologized to fans on hand at the stadium and those watching in the early hours of Sunday back home.

"We have to be humble going into every match, and I learned a great deal from this match. I am sure my teammates did, too," Son said. "Obviously, the loss hurts, but we still have to take away some lessons from this."

Korea's Son Heung-min looks on during a friendly against Ivory Coast at Stadium MK in England on March 28. [AP/YONHAP]

Oh Hyeon-gyu hit the right goal post for Korea in the 20th minute, and then Ivory Coast opened the scoring 15 minutes later. Seol Young-woo's shot also found the woodwork in the 42nd minute, and Ivory Coast doubled their lead during added time.

Lee Kang-in's shot in the 76th minute found its way to the right post, though Korea were down 3-0 at that point, with few signs that they were capable of mounting a comeback.

Son, who began the match on the bench and was subbed on in the 58th minute, lamented those missed opportunities.

"Football is all about the momentum. We should have scored when we had our chances," he said. "It's disappointing to concede so many goals, but the opponents played well. At the World Cup, we will be up against even more difficult opponents who will be better prepared. We have to be ready as well.

"As we get closer to the tournament, we have to use this loss as an opportunity to take the next step," Son added. "I am sure our fans are disappointed. But we will be able to play better with continued support from our fans."

Yonhap