Several South Korean media outlets expressed disappointment over captain Son Heung-min’s performance against the Czech Republic during South Korea’s opening Group A match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 12.

South Korea came from behind to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1, securing their first victory of the tournament. However, despite high expectations from fans, captain Son struggled to make a meaningful impact on the match.

After Son was substituted in the 69th minute, Korean outlet My Daily commented, “It was hard to believe — Son looked lost. He took five shots but failed to score. In the end, he had to be substituted.”

The report further suggested that Son failed to show his best form in South Korea’s World Cup opener. According to the outlet, if the LAFC forward had been more clinical in front of goal, South Korea could have taken the lead in the first half.

Meanwhile, Best Eleven highlighted midfielder Hwang In-beom as the standout performer who stole the spotlight from Son in the opening match. The Feyenoord player delivered an impressive performance with one goal and one assist, helping South Korea secure all three points.

Football statistics platform FotMob gave Son a rating of 7.0 for his nearly 70-minute appearance against the Czech Republic. The LAFC striker managed just one shot on target and missed a clear scoring opportunity during a one-on-one situation with the opposing goalkeeper.

Before kickoff, Son made history as only the second South Korean footballer to participate in four FIFA World Cups, matching the achievement of legendary former captain Hong Myung-bo, who currently serves as South Korea’s national team head coach.

Following the first round of matches, South Korea sits second in Group A behind host nation Mexico due to goal difference.

Sources: Znews