SouthKorea

Asian Cup preview: Son dreams of glory but Japan look team to beat

11-Jan-2024 11:00:17 | The Guardian

Tottenham forward is chasing a first major title with South Korea while favourites have addressed goalscoring problem

All due respect to Tottenham Hotspur, but the Asian Cup that kicks off in Qatar on Friday might be the best chance Son Heung-min has left to win a major title. He never has – the 2018 Asian Games don’t count – but it is not just about the Spurs captain. It was so long ago when South Korea last became continental champions that they beat South Vietnam and Israel along the way. Son’s wait is not quite 64 years, but time is running out.

The Taeguk Warriors reached the final of the 2015 edition but lost, a little unluckily, to Ange Postecoglou’s Australia. Son scored in Sydney and in Doha there are others to help shoulder what at one time looked to be a weighty national burden. Two goals below Son in the current Premier League goal standings is Hwang Hee-chan with 10. The Wolves forward will be missed in the West Midlands and feared in west Asia. With Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in offering creativity in midfield and Bayern Munich centre-back Kim Min-jae the first Asian defender to be nominated for the Ballon D’Or, there is plenty of talent for South Korea to chose from.