South Korea manager Hong Myung-bo has played down concerns over captain Son Heung-min’s form, standing firmly behind the veteran forward ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
Son missed several chances in a 1-0 defeat to Austria on Tuesday, adding to scrutiny that has been building around the 33-year-old. He had also started last week’s 4-0 loss to the Ivory Coast from the bench, though his manager explained that was down to illness.
“Son Heung-min is the heart of our team, and I have never once doubted that,” Hong told reporters.
Son, South Korea’s most-capped player and second-highest scorer, is yet to find the net for his club Los Angeles FC in the MLS this season. He hit back at talk of a decline, saying he would step away from international football himself when the time came.
“It’s disappointing that people talk about decline whenever I hit a dry spell,” he said. “I am always doing the best I can, and I am feeling good physically.”
South Korea are in Group A at the World Cup, which runs from 11th June to 19th July, alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and the Czech Republic.
