[World Cup] Red Devils seek mass street cheering for World Cup

The official supporters club for the South Korean national soccer team is seeking to organize mass street cheering events at Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul, but prospects remain unclear as of now in the aftermath of last month’s Itaewon tragedy. The Red Devils submitted an application to the Seoul Metropolitan Government to use the square on Nov. 24 and 28, and Dec. 2, when the national team is scheduled to play in the FIFA World Cup against Uruguay, Ghana and Portugal, respectively. I

Nov. 18, 2022

[World Cup] No pork, no problem for S. Korean players in Qatar

DOHA -- With all pork products banned in Qatar, the two chefs who traveled with the South Korean national team for the FIFA World Cup to the Muslim country have had to find creative ways to prepare nutritious and delicious meals for the players. The Korea Football Association shared the national team's menu for the first week of their stay in Doha, from Monday to Saturday, mostly based on the traditional Korean cuisine with some Asian dishes also thrown in. In the absence of pork, the playe

Nov. 18, 2022

[World Cup] Captain Son Heung-min willing to risk health for fans

It would be too risky for any athlete to return to competition less than a month after suffering facial fractures. But Son Heung-min, the beloved captain of the South Korean men's national football team, says he is willing to put his own health on the line as long as he can make fans happy. Son had his first training session with South Korea in Doha on Wednesday, after landing in the Qatari capital as the last South Korean player in the host country of the upcoming World Cup. The Tottenham

Nov. 16, 2022

Injured captain Son Heung-min ready for 'unforgettable' World Cup

DOHA -- Sporting black-rimmed glasses over his injured face, South Korea captain Son Heung-min landed in Doha in the early hours of Wednesday, becoming the last member of his country's World Cup squad to arrive in the host country. Son, the Tottenham Hotspur star and South Korea's top offensive weapon, is recovering from multiple fractures around his left eye after a collision with an opponent during a match two weeks ago. He underwent surgery on Nov. 4 and has since expressed a willin

Nov. 16, 2022

Injured star Son Heung-min named to Korean World Cup squad

The injured South Korean football star Son Heung-min was named to the country's World Cup squad Saturday, as the football-crazed nation waits with bated breath to see if the beloved captain will be able to compete in Qatar. Head coach Paulo Bento unveiled his 26-man roster in Seoul on Saturday, 12 days before South Korea's first Group H match against Uruguay in Qatar. South Korea will also play Ghana on Nov. 28 and then Portugal on Dec. 2. Son underwent surgery on Nov. 4 after sufferin

Nov. 12, 2022

S. Korea beat Iceland in final tuneup before World Cup

　South Korea defeated Iceland 1-0 Friday in their final match before the upcoming FIFA World Cup, with several players on the bubble unable to make a compelling case for their places on the squad for the big tournament. 　 　Midfielder Song Min-kyu scored his first international goal in the 33rd minute at Hwaseong Sports Complex Main Stadium in Hwaseong, some 40 kilometers south of Seoul, but South Korea, ranked 28th, couldn‘t muster any more offense against the 62nd-ranked Iceland. 　 　Head

Nov. 11, 2022

Son Heung-min says ready to play at World Cup with protective mask

As he recovers from a recent facial surgery, South Korean football icon Son Heung-min said Wednesday he will play at the upcoming FIFA World Cup with a protective mask. The Tottenham Hotspur forward and the South Korean captain took to social media to thank his fans for their support, following his injury sustained in a collision with an opponent during a UEFA Champions League match on Nov. 1. Son underwent surgery on multiple fractures around his left eye last Friday. He is now in a race agains

Nov. 10, 2022

S. Korea to host Iceland in final match for players on World Cup bubble

With the FIFA World Cup fast approaching, South Korea will host Iceland on Friday in what will be the last test for players on the roster bubble. The match between the 28th-ranked South Korea and the 62nd-ranked Iceland is at 8 p.m. Friday at Hwaseong Sports Complex Main Stadium in Hwaseong, about 40 kilometers south of Seoul. South Korea's 26-man World Cup squad will be unveiled Saturday. Head coach Paulo Bento opened the final pre-World Cup training camp at home in late October with 27 pl

Nov. 9, 2022

Player who collided with Son Heung-min bombarded with hate comments

Angered by South Korean soccer star Son Heung-min’s injury and its potential impact on the national team’s chances at the upcoming World Cup, some Korean fans have been bombarding the Instagram page of a player involved in Son’s injury with hate comments. As of Friday afternoon, there are over 5,900 comments on the most recent post of Chancel Mbemba, a defender of Olympique de Marseille, far more than for any other post on his page. Many of them -- written in Korean -- contain

Nov. 4, 2022

Son Heung-min suffered 4 fractures to eye socket, surgery pushed up to Friday: report

Son Heung-min's surgery on his facial injury has been pushed up to Friday, as the South Korean captain tries to keep alive his hopes of competing at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, a report out of London said. The Telegraph reported that Son, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, had suffered four fractures to his eye socket after colliding with an opposing defender during a UEFA Champions League match at Marseille on Tuesday. Tottenham announced the following day that Son would require surgery, with

Nov. 4, 2022

Son Heung-min finishes 11th in Ballon d'Or, highest position ever by Asian

South Korean football star Son Heung-min has broken his own mark for the highest ranking by an Asian player ever in the annual Ballon d'Or voting, finishing 11th for the prestigious award. In a ceremony held in Paris on Monday (local time), Son, who scored 23 goals for Tottenham Hotspur to share the Premier League Golden Boot with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah last season, fell just outside the top 10. Son, the only Asian nominee this year, had checked in at 22nd among 30 finalists in 2019

Oct. 18, 2022

[Newsmaker] Son shines with double as Spurs sink Frankfurt

London (AFP) – Son Heung-min struck twice as Tottenham bolstered their bid to reach the Champions League last 16 with a 3-2 win against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.   Antonio Conte's side fell behind to Daichi Kamada's early strike at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But Son equalised with a composed finish and Harry Kane converted a penalty as the England captain bagged his first Champions League goal this season. Son's blistering volley put Tottenham in complete control towards t

Oct. 13, 2022

Son Heung-min's double sends Tottenham to top of group in Champions League

South Korean star Son Heung-min has scored a brace for Tottenham Hotspur in their latest victory in the UEFA Champions League, pushing the Premier League club to the top of their group in the process. Son scored in the 20th and then in the 36th minute of Tottenham's 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the top European competition at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Wednesday (local time). Son was named the Player of the Match. Spurs took the lead in Group D on seven points from two wi

Oct. 13, 2022

Seoul named host of FIFA Fan Festival during World Cup

Seoul has been selected as one of six global hosts of the FIFA Fan Festival, a public viewing event during the World Cup that will also feature live performances and other entertainment. FIFA announced Tuesday that Seoul will be joined by London, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Dubai in hosting satellite fan events during the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 World Cup in Qatar. The main Fan Festival will take place in Doha, the capital city of the World Cup host country. "All International FIFA F

Oct. 11, 2022

K League's top contenders to clash one final time on weekend

For the fourth consecutive season, the South Korean club football title will come down to Ulsan Hyundai FC and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. And the two bitter rivals will meet for one last time this season Saturday. The murky title picture could gain more clarity after the weekend, or it could get thrown into even further chaos. The kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Munsu Football Stadium in the southeastern city of Ulsan. Ulsan are holding on to a five-point lead over Jeonbuk at 69-54. Third-place

Oct. 6, 2022

No change at top of tables as K League 1 contenders gear up for weekend showdown

One match into the final phase of the 2022 K League 1 season following the three-day weekend, there has been no change at the top of the tables. Ulsan Hyundai FC entered the split stage of the season leading Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors by five points. The two teams each won their matches last Saturday, and Ulsan continue to lead Jeonbuk by the same margin, 69-64. The rivals will clash for one final time this season Saturday in the southeastern city of Ulsan. After 33 matches, the top six clubs were p

Oct. 4, 2022

K League's split phase to begin with crucial matches for contenders

The final stretch of the 2022 K League 1 football season will kick off this week, with six matches spread over the three-day National Foundation Day weekend. After 33 matches, the six best teams in the top division were grouped into "Final A," while the rest were dropped into "Final B." They will now play five more games within their own groups to finish out the season. Ulsan Hyundai FC, nursing a five-point lead over the five-time defending champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors,

Sept. 29, 2022

Questions on defense hang over S. Korea before World Cup tuneup vs. Cameroon

South Korea will have their final World Cup tuneup match at full strength Tuesday night against Cameroon, with question marks regarding their defense hanging over their head. The kickoff between world No. 28 South Korea and No. 38 Cameroon is 8 p.m. Tuesday at Seoul World Cup Stadium. South Korea eked out a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica last Friday, with captain Son Heung-min delivering a late free kick goal to rescue the Taegeuk Warriors from a frustrating loss on home soil. Tuesday's match

Sept. 26, 2022

Captain Sonny looking to build on hat trick in World Cup tuneup vs. Costa Rica

Having recently flipped the narrative on his season with a stunning hat trick, Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min will look to stay hot as South Korea's captain in a World Cup tuneup match this week. Son and South Korea will host Costa Rica at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, at 8 p.m. Friday. It will be the first of two friendly matches for South Korea this month, with Cameroon coming up next Tuesday in Seoul. South Korea, world No. 28, has four wins, two draws and thre

Sept. 21, 2022

Tottenham's Son Heung-min scores hat trick to bust out of slump

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has scored his third career hat trick in the Premier League, breaking out of a season-long slump in style despite coming off the bench in the second half. Son became the first Spurs player to complete a trifecta as a substitute, as he helped the club to a 6-2 rout of Leicester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday (local time). Only six others in Premier League history have scored a hat trick off the bench. These were Son's first thre

Sept. 18, 2022