|
Son Heung-min applauds the fans at the end of the World Cup Group A football match between South Africa and South Korea at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, on June 24, 2026. Photo by AFP |
Serious internal rifts within the team were exposed during an inspection held by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee at the National Assembly on Oct. 21.
People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Yeon-wook questioned the leadership of the Korea Football Association (KFA), particularly acting president Lee Yong-soo, regarding reports that Son was being isolated by a group of younger players.
During the inspection, it was revealed that the root of the conflict stems from resistance against the leadership of the former Tottenham Hotspur star by key players born in 1996. This group include star players such as Kim Min-jae, Hwang Hee-chan and Hwang In-beom.
The disrespect allegedly reached a point where teammates refused to address him by his actual name.
“The national team’s leadership has fallen into discord,” Jeong said, as quoted by Chosun. “Players call Son Heung-min ‘No. 7.’ Kim Min-jae and Hwang In-beom spoke about it publicly, and speculation about simultaneous retirement even arose.”
The situation reportedly reached a breaking point following a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan on Oct. 6. After the match, this group of players gathered and threatened to retire from the national team. According to The Straits Timesthe three players were not happy with Son’s leadership and felt the team were being run around him.
This ultimatum forced the KFA to hold an emergency, closed-door meeting in the middle of the night to manage the crisis.
While KFA president Lee acknowledged the reports, he declined to comment and did not confirm whether the incident related to Son was evidence of an internal rift.
“Different stories are being reproduced and turning into unnecessary controversies,” he said, as quoted by Chosun. “Although we are currently under an interim coach system, we expect coach Moreno to coordinate relationships within the squad and resolve issues one by one.”
The inspection also revisited a series of conflicts that have plagued the team over recent years. These incidents include tensions during the 2022 World Cup, a public falling-out where Kim Min-jae blocked Son on social media in 2023, a highly publicized physical altercation that took place during the 2024 Asian Cup between Son and Lee Kang-in, and the 2026 World Cup interview boycott.