Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) expressed his affection and determination for the national team by changing his social media profile.

The British outlet 'Football Insider' reported on the 22nd (Korean time) that "Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-chan left his thoughts on the A-match against Oman via social media, to which Son Heung-min responded."

The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, faced Oman in the seventh match of Group B of the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Goyang Stadium on the 20th, finishing the match in a 1-1 draw.

South Korea maintained first place in Group B with 15 points (4 wins, 3 draws). It is a disappointing result. If South Korea had secured 3 points against Oman and won against Jordan on the 25th, they could have confirmed their qualification for the World Cup finals early, regardless of the matches against Iraq and Kuwait in June. However, due to this match result, they now have to wait until the June A-match.

South Korea took the lead 1-0 after Hwang Hee-chan calmly finished a pass from Lee Kang-in, who was substituted in the 41st minute of the first half. However, they conceded an equalizer to Al Busaidi in the 35th minute of the second half, leveling the score. South Korea continuously attempted to score again until the end of the match, but ultimately finished the game with a 1-1 draw.

As a result, South Korea finds itself in a situation where they cannot confirm their qualification for the World Cup finals even if they win against Jordan on the 25th until the June A-match schedule. An unexpected injury also occurred during the match. Baek Seung-ho was substituted due to injury in the 38th minute of the first half, and Lee Kang-in went off the field carried by staff in the 38th minute of the second half due to pain. South Korea made various substitutions, including Oh Se-hoon, Yang Hyun-jun, and Oh Hyun-kyu, in search of victory but had to accept a disappointing outcome without a decisive goal.

The most critical moment, of course, was the goal conceded. In the 35th minute of the second half, South Korea defended against the opponent's advance in front of the penalty box. The cleared ball was left in front of Son Heung-min, who quickly attempted a forward pass. However, this pass was directed toward Al Busaidi instead of a teammate, and after a quick exchange with a teammate, he shot and shook the net.

It is even more painful because the goal conceded came from the feet of South Korea's captain Son Heung-min. There is also regret over his lack of active movement after making the passing mistake. Additionally, according to various statistical sources, Son Heung-min relinquished ball possession 19 times in just this one match.

'Football Insider' noted that "Hwang Hee-chan posted a message on his social media after the match, saying, 'The result is disappointing, but thank you to everyone who supported us in the cold weather.' along with a red heart emoji." The report added, "Son Heung-min, who plays for Tottenham, also reacted by clicking 'like' on this post."

It continued, "Son Heung-min left disappointment after failing to meet expectations in this match. Wolverhampton, where Hwang Hee-chan is affiliated, has been having a tough time this season. Gary O'Neil was sacked and Vitor Pereira was hired as the new manager, but even he is currently under pressure."

After the match, Son Heung-min met with reporters and said, "Overall, we brought back a disappointing result. I am very disappointed in myself and feel sorry for my teammates. However, this is not the end. We have been working hard to create a good situation. There is hardly any time to be disappointed. I hope this match will become an opportunity for improvement."

Despite the Chonbang pressure, Son Heung-min's love for the national team remained strong. He drew significant attention by changing his social media profile to Korea after the match against Oman. His change from the usual profile picture of Tottenham to a national team photo seems to show his determination for the match against Jordan.

Time cannot be defeated. With Son Heung-min now a veteran, every single match is important. As he changes his social media profile to the national team ahead of the match, it raises questions about whether Son Heung-min's determination can save this team in crisis.

[OSEN]