"If the grass is good, why is Tottenham Hotspur in 14th place?"
There can be no excuses for justifying lackluster performance by blaming the ground conditions any longer.
The South Korean national football team has once again missed a victory at home. After a draw against Oman, they followed up with another 1-1 draw against Jordan. The same score and the same disappointment for three consecutive matches. After the game, the 'grass' topic inevitably came up. Unlike in the Oman match, the fans' reactions are cold. One could say, "Oman and Jordan also played on the same grass."
On the evening of the 25th, at 8 p.m., the 8th match of Group B in the third round of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers was held at Suwon World Cup Stadium. South Korea took the lead with a goal from Lee Jae-sung in the 5th minute, but allowed an equalizer due to a mistake by Park Yong-woo in the 30th minute of the first half. Despite continued attacks, they failed to score additional goals and settled for adding just 1 point.
Thus, South Korea has recorded a dismal result of three consecutive 1-1 draws since the match against Palestine last November. The results of the away matches against Iraq and Kuwait in June will determine whether they proceed directly to the finals.
The problem lies in the performance. In particular, Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan's struggles are particularly noticeable. Son recorded a total of 44 touches during the match, but had only one shot, with no shots on target. He made five key passes, but had zero successful dribbles (one attempt) and failed in one attempt to contest an aerial ball. The biggest issue is the 'loss of ball possession.' Son gave away the ball a total of 14 times during this match. Including the 19 times from the previous Oman match, he has lost possession a total of 33 times in just the last two games.
Hwang Hee-chan was not much different. He played for 68 minutes and recorded 49 touches, but had only one successful dribble (out of five attempts), one shot on target, and zero key passes. Most importantly, he also recorded 14 instances of lost ball possession, matching Son's numbers.
In fact, many have pointed out that the national team's 'technical limitations' were clearly evident during this match. Yet, the players were quick to mention 'environment.' They questioned the condition of the grass.
Son Heung-min said after the match, "It's not that I want to talk about this again, but since this is a home game, the environment should be the best it can be. If the grass holds us back, where are we supposed to gain an advantage?" He emphasized the importance of details, saying, "Whether we earn 1 point or 3 points depends on the grass."
Lee Jae-sung also noted, "The grass was not in good condition during the Oman match, and there were also problems this time. While we have our shortcomings, we also need environmental support."
Fans are scratching their heads. Suwon World Cup Stadium underwent major grass renovations for about three months starting from the end of 2023. In preparation for this home match doubleheader, the Korea Football Association and the Suwon World Cup Stadium Management Foundation meticulously prepared for months by adjusting maintenance schedules. In fact, many evaluations suggested the grass condition was much better than at Goyang Sports Complex, where the previous Oman match was held. Seol Young-woo also commented, "It was much better than in previous games. The grass is not uncomfortable for just us."
Moreover, Oman and Jordan, who faced South Korea, also played on the same grass. Furthermore, both teams were undertaking long-distance journeys during Ramadan. The 'advantage' that Son mentioned was sufficient considering the objective difference in power between the teams.
Despite playing under more challenging physical and environmental conditions, Oman and Jordan were actually praised for their fighting spirit and focus. Errors in Son Heung-min's first touch and the national team's monotonous tactical operations are issues of performance itself and cannot be solely explained by the condition of the grass.
Criticism continues among fans with the question, "How long will they keep blaming the grass?" Especially, the gaze towards Son Heung-min is different from before. Social media and online communities are flooded with criticisms like, "Blaming the grass is an excuse," "It’s problematic to shift the blame for a lack of skill to external factors," and "Are you complaining after renting the Suwon stadium?" Some even react cynically, saying, "So is Tottenham in 14th place because of the grass?" and "If the ground conditions are good at the World Cup, will we win the championship?"
Of course, the condition of the grass is an important variable. However, if the opposing team played under the same conditions, especially given that they are evaluated as being below South Korea in terms of power and were able to play after a 13-hour flight, it cannot be the decisive reason for the loss. Rather, the bigger issue highlighted is the attitude of blaming the environment instead of reflecting on losing ball possession a staggering 33 times.
South Korea will conclude the remaining third round qualifiers on the away match against Iraq on June 5 and against Kuwait on June 10. If they had won both matches in this doubleheader, they could have secured their place in the World Cup finals before the June A matches.
The 'grass blame' no longer holds up for fans. It is now time to speak with performance.
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