0-4 shock loss to Ivory Coast

The Korean national soccer team lost 0-4 in a friendly match against Ivory Coast held at Milton Keynes Stadium MK in England on the 28th (Korean time). The national team led by coach Hong Myung-bo was helpless against the bold breakthrough of an opponent with good physique, speed, and individual skills.

Son Heung-min (LAFC) was substituted in the 13th minute of the second half when the team was trailing 0-2. Although they covered the entire field, they were unable to record any attack points. Korea had the misfortune of hitting the opponent's goal post three times, but as they lost by such a large score, fans' worries inevitably grew.

Son Heung-min’s responsibility and self-reflection

After the game, Son Heung-min expressed a heavy sense of responsibility. He bowed his head and said, “In a way, it was ultimately my responsibility to go in as a substitute and not be able to change the mood even though my teammates were having a hard time.”

Son Heung-min said, "In some ways, I think it's fortunate that this isn't the World Cup. I think there's a lot more to learn because it's not the World Cup. In fact, it doesn't make sense to say that I learned from losing at the World Cup."

He continued, "Before going to the World Cup, it was an opportunity to learn in terms of personal ability from the players on such a strong, world-class team. I'm sure the fans will be worried, but we will train hard to make our players more responsible, more humble, and of course accepting feedback."

Point out ‘positioning’ as a tactical task

As a striker, Son Heung-min chose 'positioning' as the tactical task he identified in this game. He analyzed, "Nowadays, everyone has good one-on-one marks, but they are also trying to make their defenses stronger by driving hard, and we need to make good use of these things. We need to use space better."

Son Heung-min emphasized that he and his teammates must play games that make themselves uncomfortable to find a way out. “I have to play in an uncomfortable way to make the opponent uncomfortable as well. In terms of positioning, I have to go to a position that is uncomfortable to receive the ball. That way, the opponent also feels uncomfortable blocking it,” he said, adding, “In soccer, ultimately, many details change. We have to fix it little by little in detail.”

With only three months left until the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, attention is being paid to how Hong Myung-boho will solve the task.