Son Heung-min embraces Mexican support as South Korea start World Cup campaign

South Korea captain Son Heung-min is heading into his fourth World Cup with a renewed sense of excitement and with hopes that Mexican supporters will give him a lift.

Son is set to begin South Korea’s campaign on Thursday in Guadalajara, where the team face the Czech Republic in a Group A fixture. The 33-year-old has been playing in Los Angeles in the US Major League, and his presence close to Mexico has helped build a following there.

In Mexico, some fans have taken to calling him “Sonaldo”, a nickname linked by some to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and by others to former Brazil striker Ronaldo.

“I’m in LA now and there are a lot of Mexicans there,” Son said through a translator on Wednesday. “I can feel their passion and love for soccer, and they support me a lot. I’m very thankful and grateful.”

Son said he was still not ready to fully embrace the “Sonaldo” label, saying only that he was not comfortable with it “not yet”.

South Korea will remain in Guadalajara for their second match, though local backing may be harder to find then because the opposition will be co-host Mexico. Their last group match is also scheduled for Mexico, with South Korea to play South Africa in Monterrey.

Before his move to Los Angeles, Son built a strong Premier League career with Tottenham. He has represented South Korea since 2010 and first appeared at a World Cup in Brazil in 2014. He was also part of the national team at the 2018 tournament in Russia and the 2022 edition in Qatar.

“Whether it’s the first or fourth World Cup, I feel like a young boy again,” Son said. “It’s my dream stage. I’m happy to be back on a World Cup pitch, it’s what I dreamed of from a very young age.”

He pushed back against suggestions that this tournament could be his final World Cup appearance.

“I never said that this would be my last World Cup,” he said. “How I do and perform is the most important thing.”

As one of the senior figures in the South Korea squad, Son said he has tried to guide the younger players and settle nerves around the group.

“Sometimes I have to calm them, I have to say ’calm down,'” he said. “Hopefully we will have a good result. It would be deserved. We are well prepared.”

South Korea are appearing at the World Cup for the 12th time, more than any other Asian nation. Their best finish came in 2002, when they co-hosted with Japan, reached the semi-finals and ended fourth. Since then, South Korea have not advanced past the round of 16.