Son's early exit against Mexico reopens debate over how Korea uses its captain
Former internationals are asking why Hong Myung-bo pulled Son Heung-min after 57 minutes and keeps playing him as a lone striker rather than on his natural left wing.
Son Heung-min watches from the bench after coming off during the second Group A match between Korea and Mexico at the 2026 World Cup, held at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 18. Korea lost 1-0 to Mexico.NEWS1
Son Heung-min came off after just 57 minutes of Korea's 1-0 loss to Mexico on Thursday, and the early substitution has reopened a question that has shadowed coach Hong Myung-bo all tournament: how to use the team's captain and best player.
Son was withdrawn 12 minutes earlier than in the opener against the Czech Republic, when he lasted 69 minutes. He has long made clear he wants to play the full 90, and his expression hardened in frustration as he left the field.
A string of former internationals criticized the move in interviews and on YouTube. "It felt a little early," said Lee Young-pyo, a former national team left back. "Son is good at running in behind, so once he went off, there was no one to break the line, and Mexico had an easier time of it."
Park Joo-ho, a former national team defender, agreed. "This was a bit early," he said. "When you leave Son on, the opponent stays wary of him. If he were unable to do anything, like Cristiano Ronaldo, I'd understand, but Son is playing well and has built something up to this point."
Former national team goalkeeper Lee Bum-young warned against making a habit of it. "You can't let yourself get a taste for this," he said of the early hooks.
Lee Eul-yong, a former national team midfielder and the father of Korea defender Lee Tae-seok, argued Son should have stayed on. "Son has a goal in him, so you have to leave him out there," he said.
Son Heung-min during the second Group A match between Korea and Mexico at the 2026 World Cup, held at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 18. Korea lost 1-0 to Mexico.JOONGANG ILBO
Son scored in stoppage time against both Mexico and Germany at the 2018 World Cup, and his late lob against Mexico on Thursday, ruled offside, still forced Edson Álvarez into a goal-line clearance.
The sharper complaint was about where Son played. For a decade at Tottenham, he became a world-class left winger, but Hong has used him as a lone striker in both group games, leaving him isolated and chasing the ball. Against Mexico, he managed no shots and only around 20 touches.
"Honestly, if he'd come out wide rather than through the middle, wouldn't he have been more dangerous going forward? He has the one-on-one ability," said Ki Sung-yueng, the former captain now at Pohang Steelers. "You just need to put Son out wide," Lee Chun-soo, a former national team forward, said.
JoongAng Ilbo analyst Ahn Jung-hwan, a former national team striker, said the role was punishing. "I felt a bit sorry for Son in the Czech match," he said. "He played almost like a sacrificial striker. If you keep dropping balls in front of him like that, no striker, however fit, can hold up."
Foreign coverage is divided over where to lay the blame. The Guardian was hard on Son himself, saying he's "only 33 but looks older" and arguing that he was beaten by Mexico's offside trap and unable to get the ball under control when a chance fell to him before he came off.
ESPN looked instead at how he was being used: for a decade, Korea's attack had run through Son down the left, it noted, but a switch to a back five had pushed him up front, and his 21 touches were "the least of all South Korea's starting outfielders." ESPN suggested Hong could move Son into a No. 10 role and let Oh Hyun-gyu lead the line. The Athletic also questioned why Son was the one taken off so early.
Son Heung-min before the the second Group A match between Korea and Mexico at the 2026 World Cup, held at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 18. Korea lost 1-0 to Mexico.JOONGANG ILBO
Hong's 3-4-2-1 leans on wingbacks rather than wingers, with the two attacking midfield places going to the industrious Lee Jae-sung of Mainz and PSG playmaker Lee Kang-in, and one of its core ideas is to feed balls into the space behind the defense for Son to run onto. The approach looked inspired in the opener. Hong took Son off and sent on Oh, who scored the winner in a 2-1 comeback over the Czech Republic.
BBC pundit Clinton Morrison, who said he had doubted the change at the time, called it the kind of decisive move that explains why managers are paid so well at major tournaments. The same substitution against Mexico drew only criticism.
Korea's final group match against South Africa on Wednesdaywill decide whether they reach the knockout round, and the argument now is how Hong sets up. One scenario is to start Oh as the central striker and shift Son to the left wing. Another is to hold Son back and bring him on later as an impact substitute.
Whether Hong's choice looks like stubbornness or conviction may come down to the result.
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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.
