[Anchor]

For the first time in his football career, captain Son Heung-min started a World Cup match as a substitute. After the defeat was confirmed, he could not hide his distress. While blaming himself for failing to prevent the loss, he insisted that there are absolutely no issues with the team's atmosphere.

Reported by Yu Byeongmin.

[Reporter]

Having led the attack as a starter in 12 consecutive World Cup matches since the 2014 Brazil tournament, the match against South Africa, which he began on the bench, was a very unfamiliar experience for Son.

[Son Heung-min/National Football Team Forward: The coach did speak to me (about being excluded from the starting lineup). It is very difficult to play in a match, but watching from the sidelines is also very difficult.]

Still, he did his best in his role as captain, encouraging and advising his younger teammates.

[Son Heung-min/National Football Team Forward: Rather than telling the players too many things, I think I tried to give them the simplest advice I could provide.]

Son began warming up toward the end of the first half and stepped onto the pitch at the start of the second half. He worked hard to target South Africa's goal, but struggled against the opponent's tight marking, showing a frustrated expression several times.

After the final whistle blew and the shocking defeat was confirmed, having recorded only one shot, he held his head in agony.

[Son Heung-min/National Football Team Forward: I feel very sorry that I couldn't help more on the pitch while watching the team lose.]

He did not make excuses regarding the fact that the entire squad appeared sluggish.

[Son Heung-min/National Football Team Forward: We aren't the only ones playing in this weather; we played in the same environment, so it's not a matter that can be blamed on that.]

He emphasized that there was no internal discord within the squad, unlike what surfaced during the previous Qatar tournament.

[Son Heung-min/National Football Team Forward: The players must be the most upset, and I am the same. I can honestly say that there are no problems at all with the atmosphere or anything like that.]

He stated that he would now calmly wait for the team's fate, which is in the hands of other teams.

[Son Heung-min/National Football Team Forward: Personally, I did not want a situation where we have to wait to see if we advance (to the Round of 32) in third place. Since it is out of our hands, I think we have to accept whatever result comes, and we must do so.]

Video Editing: Kim Jin-won