Son Heung-min Apologizes After South Korea's World Cup Exit

Son Heung-min, the captain of the South Korean national football team, issued an apology to fans after the team's elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage. The South Korean team faced a disappointing campaign, losing two matches against co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.

Following this failure, head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned from his position. Son expressed the collective sentiment of the squad in an Instagram post, stating that they felt deep remorse for not meeting the expectations of the Korean people and fans who love football.

He conveyed that words were insufficient to express their emotions. The veteran player, aged 33, struggled with injuries during the tournament and had to take on a substitute role in the loss against South Africa.

Despite his long service to the national team, the squad could not advance to the knockout stage.