Lee Kang-in, far left, and Son Heung-min, far right, warm up on stationary bikes during an open training session at the Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong, on Sept. 22. Second from left are: Hwang In-beom, Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Han-beom.YONHAP
CHEONAN, South Chungcheong — Just three months after a bitter World Cup exit, the wheels are turning once again at the heart of Korean football.
As Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in entered the Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong, for an open training session on Tuesday, cheers erupted from some 200 fans in the stands.
When a young fan shouted “Son Heung-min!” the veteran forward responded with a gentle smile and a wave.
Son and Lee arrived in Korea the previous day and warmed up on stationary bikes and by stretching rather than working with the ball. They occasionally exchanged a few words, but lengthy conversations hardly seemed necessary. The glances they exchanged between beads of sweat seemed to carry an unspoken determination to put Korean football back on its feet.
Interim manager Robert Moreno also showed his enthusiasm, posting a photo of himself pointing to the Korea Football Association emblem on social media. Moreno has been appointed on an interim basis through November.
“The first step of a new journey. Excitement, effort and respect for the jersey that represents a country,” Moreno wrote on Instagram. “Let’s go, Korea.”
That determination showed in his first training session, which combined an upbeat atmosphere with intensity. Lively pop music blasted from large speakers while a drone hovered overhead. Its propellers spun constantly as it captured footage for tactical analysis.
Son Heung-min waves to fans during an open training session at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong, on Sept. 22.NEWS1
Moreno designed the sessions' overall structure but left the drills to his coaching staff, watching the players intently from a short distance away.
One of Moreno’s key tasks will be figuring out how to get the best out of Korea’s two biggest stars, Son and Lee.
Moreno wrote the tactical book "Mi Receta Del 4-4-2" (2013), which translates to "My Recipe for the 4-4-2 formation," while coaching at Barcelona. He also declared at his introductory press conference that he would employ the 4-4-2 formation.
He could deploy Lee as one of the two forwards, much as Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone has done with the midfielder. Lee could also be moved out to the right wing, with Son pushed forward as the central striker.
Moreno has yet to name his captain. But Son, whose leadership took a hit at the FIFA World Cup 2026, is seen as a strong candidate to wear the armband again. Moreno and Son were also seen having a lengthy private conversation Tuesday as they entered the training ground.
Son Heung-min, right, speaks with interim manager Roberto Moreno during an open training session at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong, on Sept. 22.YONHAP
Lee, meanwhile, has grown into a de facto leader on the pitch, looking after his teammates.
Song Min-kyu, who moved to Portugal’s Clube Desportivo Nacional this summer to start his career in Europe, exemplified Lee’s growing maturity.
“I couldn’t sleep much because of the long flight, and Kang-in, who has experience with that, took me to alternate between a cold bath and a hot bath after lunch,” Song said.
Song also attended the Madrid derby between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid on Sunday while traveling through the Spanish capital.
“Kang-in contacted me first and got me a ticket to a skybox,” Song said.
Son and Lee are set to face Ecuador in a friendly in Suwon on Thursday. It will mark the first time in more than 100 days that the two stars take the field together since Korea’s match against South Africa at the World Cup in June, which left Korean football with wounds that have yet to heal.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
