South Africa was, unexpectedly, the place most pleased by Son Heung-min's extended scoring drought. Even in South Africa, which is in the same group as Korea at the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in North and Central America, attention began to turn to Son Heung-min's slump.
KickOff reported on the 11th (Korea time), "One of South Africa's World Cup group opponents is carrying concerns about a key star's form," and said the player the outlet mentioned was South Korea national team captain Son Heung-min.
KickOff said, "Son Heung-min has become an important talking point ahead of the World Cup," and explained, "As captain of the South Korea national team, he is currently struggling to regain his scoring touch at his club."
It added, "The former Tottenham star, who is currently playing for U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) LAFC, is having a difficult time in front of goal," and noted, "Despite being regarded as one of Asia's top stars, he has not shown the sharpness expected of him."
In fact, Son Heung-min's overall influence on matches for LAFC this season remains strong. The problem is goals. He has an astonishing eight assists in 10 league matches, but he has yet to score his first league goal.
South African media also focused on this aspect. KickOff reported, "The 33-year-old Son Heung-min has produced impressive numbers in assists but still has no goal this season," and added, "In Korea, concern is growing ahead of the World Cup."
However, it is difficult to view this as simply individual poor form. That is because Son Heung-min's role itself has changed significantly from transfer.
Last season Son Heung-min showed explosive scoring power, recording 12 goals and four assists in 13 matches. But under coach Mark dos Santos, he has been assigned tasks closer to a second-line playmaker than a typical finishing forward.
With an emphasis placed on creating space and chances for teammates rather than scoring directly, his assist numbers naturally increased. Conversely, his number of shots and frequency of box penetrations have decreased.
The problem is the scoring touch. No matter how world-class a forward is, a prolonged scoreless run inevitably disrupts his rhythm in front of goal. In MLS, opposing teams are applying focused attention on Son Heung-min, so clear shooting opportunities are not plentiful.
Ultimately, what Son Heung-min needs most is a goal. One breakthrough could change the flow, but the current mood is somewhat frustrating.
And one of the teams that welcomes this situation most is South Africa. Korea has been drawn into Group A in the World Cup in North and Central America along with Mexico, the Czech Republic and South Africa. Korea will start with the Czech Republic, face Mexico next, and then meet South Africa in the final group match.
KickOff said, "Korean fans hope Son Heung-min regains his scoring touch before the World Cup," and assessed, "For South Africa, Mexico and the Czech Republic, Son Heung-min's current silence could be a positive sign."
In the end, Son Heung-min's goal drought is not just LAFC's problem. It is an issue that connects to Hong Myung-bo's entire team ahead of the World Cup through consolidation.
If Son Heung-min continues the current trend under coach dos Santos, the South Korea national team is likely to enter the World Cup carrying that burden. Conversely, South Africa hopes that the silence will continue.
[OSEN]