Son Heung-min's Record-Breaking Bid Delayed After Hard-Fought Match Against Czech Republic

South Korean football legend and captain Son Heung-min put in a spirited performance in the opening match of his fourth World Cup, but his quest for a new scoring record will have to wait for the next game.

Son started as the lone striker in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A opener against the Czech Republic, held at Akron Stadium in Jalisco, Mexico, on June 12 (KST). He played for approximately 69 minutes before being substituted for Oh Hyeon-gyu in the 24th minute of the second half.

Son currently has three career goals in the World Cup.

Had he scored in this match, he would have surpassed Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan to become the sole all-time leading World Cup scorer for South Korea with four goals, but he will now look to achieve the milestone in the upcoming matches.

Wearing the captain's armband in what is effectively a pivotal match for Hong Myung-bo's squad to reach the Round of 32, Son's presence on the pitch remained as commanding as ever.

He showcased his signature agility to find gaps against the Czech Republic's towering defense, which averaged over 185cm in height, but he was unable to convert his efforts into a decisive goal due to the opponent's tight and focused marking.

Nevertheless, Son threatened the Czech goal throughout the match, attempting a team-high six shots.

In the 12th minute of the first half, he immediately fired a shot off a pass from Lee Jae-sung, but the ball deflected off a defender's foot and soared high, leaving him frustrated.

In the 38th minute, his bold long-range effort sailed just over the crossbar, and just a minute later, he cut into the box and unleashed a sharp left-footed shot toward the near post that narrowly missed the target.

The captain's determination did not waver.

In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, he lunged for a sliding shot to meet a cutback from Lee Jae-sung. He continued to press in the 11th minute of the second half, controlling a one-touch pass from Lee and making a sharp run to aim for the net once again.

However, he was denied once more by a well-timed save from goalkeeper Matěj Kovář.

Although he did not find the back of the net in the tournament's opening match, the captain's resolve remains firm, echoing his statement from the day before that "every World Cup match is so important that a player puts their life on the line."

Son's fourth World Cup journey toward a new milestone for South Korean football is now firmly set on the next match.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.