Son Heung-min Vows Full Effort for South Korea at FIFA World Cup

ZAPOPAN, Mexico, June 10 (Yonhap) -- With South Korea about to embark on their journey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, captain Son Heung-min said Wednesday he and his teammates will be ready to give their everything and more in all the matches.

Son will lead South Korea against Czechia in the teams' first Group A match at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, at 8 p.m. Thursday (local time), or 11 a.m. Friday (South Korean time).

"The guys are so fired up for this match, and I actually have to calm them down," Son said at the prematch presser at the match venue. "I hope our hard work will bear fruit, and I think we absolutely deserve it. The vibe is tremendous, and I can feel it from the eyes of my teammates. Every World Cup match is so important that we'd be willing to stake our lives on it. Tomorrow, we will give everything we've got and more."

In the twilight of his career at 33, Son is at his fourth and possibly final World Cup, having evolved into a transcendent superstar and a national icon.

He was one of the team's few bright spots in 2014, netting his first career World Cup goal at 21 as South Korea took a quick exit in the group stage. Four years later in Russia, Son helped South Korea stun the defending champions Germany in their final group match, though it wasn't enough to prevent another early elimination. Then in 2022, Son assisted the winning goal in South Korea's 2-1 victory over Portugal in the final group match that sent the Taegeuk Warriors to the knockout stage.

Son said he can't wait to see what this year's tournament will bring.

"My mindset is similar, whether it's my first or last World Cup. I feel like a child again," he said. "I have never once said this is my last World Cup. The most important thing is to do my job. People can say whatever they want, and I will choose my path wisely."

Son arrived in the South Korean camp not having scored for Los Angeles Football Club in 13 matches in Major League Soccer this season. Son then put to rest any doubts about his skills by netting twice in a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on May 30.

"I am always thinking about how I can best help the team," he said. "My goal is to make plays that can help the team."

Son said Czechia are "a strong team featuring many talented players based in great leagues," but he remained confident in South Korea's chances.

"The key is to play the way I have always played and do so with the help of the team," Son said. "Every team has their strengths and weaknesses. I will analyze them carefully and make plays that I can make on the pitch."