Son Heung-min, 'Most goals in A match', aims for his 60th goal against Saudi Arabia on the 13th

No score in two previous matches against Saudi Arabia... Interested in surpassing 60 goals this year

(Doha [Qatar] = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Young-ho = 'Captain' Son Heung-min (LAFC) of the Korean national soccer team will attempt to score his 60th personal goal through the Saudi Arabia friendly match, the first stage of the two-game international match that will end in 2026.

The national soccer team, led by interim coach Robert Moreno, will play the first match of a two-game international match in November against Saudi Arabia, ranked 55th in the FIFA rankings (as of October), at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar, at 11:30 p.m. Korean time on the 13th. Korea's FIFA ranking is 32nd.

Coach Moreno, whose contract period ends on the 27th, was originally supposed to be judged on whether to take charge until the Asian Cup scheduled for January next year based on the results of four friendly matches in September and October and two consecutive international matches in November.

Meanwhile, as the Asian Cup was postponed for about 11 months from January to December next year, Coach Moreno's future became unclear, and in fact, there was a high possibility that his relationship with Korean soccer would end after this two-game international match.

In addition, the Taegeuk Warriors, who will play in the two-game international match (Saudi Arabia on the 13th and Qatar on the 17th), are also bound to lose motivation due to the postponement of the Asian Cup.

However, the Taegeuk Warriors cannot play this evaluation match in vain. The national team must use this two-game series as a turning point to regain the trust of lost fans.

The national team, which failed to reach the round of 32 of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, suffered a squeak in the team's organizational strength while playing two consecutive international matches in September and October, leading to a commotion over the retirement of the '96 line' including Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke), Hwang In-beom (Porto), and Kim Min-jae (Munich), leading to a sharp decline in its status.

For this reason, the Taegeuk Warriors were given the obligation to show the fans the performance that would restore their pride as 'Asia's leader' through this two-game international match.

From the first full-scale training held on the 10th after arriving in Doha, Qatar, the Taegeuk Warriors pledged to do well with extraordinary fighting spirit.

In this two-game A-match series, fans' attention is focused on the close collaboration between 'Captain' Son Heung-min and the '96 Line'.

In particular, Son Heung-min scored his 59th goal in international matches with a free kick in a friendly match against Uzbekistan on the 6th of last month, setting a new record for the most goals by a Korean male in international matches, which he held with former national team coach 'legend' Cha Bum-geun (58 goals in 136 games).

Son Heung-min's goal now is to surpass '60th goal' in the remaining two friendly matches this year.

The best picture is the scenario pushed by the '96 Line' and completed by the 'Captain'.

Coach Moreno, who has been using the 4-4-2 tactic since taking office, is highly likely to use the same tactic this time.

Son Heung-min is expected to take on one of the two top striker positions, with Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid) on the left and right wings, and Hwang In-beom as the midfield commander.

The scoring route that fans are looking forward to is Hwang In-beom's killer pass and Hwang Hee-chan's side cross, followed by Son Heung-min's finish.

The close collaboration between the '96 Line', the most senior group of the national team, and the 'Captain', which briefly broke up, is a special medicine that will revive the interest of fans who have cooled due to the national team's successive disappointing performances.