Hong Myung-bo Explains "Needed a Fresher Player Than Son Heung-min for a Goal"... Addresses 'Early Substitution' Controversy

Controversy Over Early Substitution of Son Heung-min in Mexico Match

Foreign Media Criticize: "Questions Over Use of Son Heung-min"

Hong Myung-bo Explains: "A Decision Made to Score"

On the 18th (local time), the match between South Korea and Mexico, the second match of Group A of the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, was held at Zapopan Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico. South Korean coach Hong Myung-bo is encouraging Son Heung-min, who was substituted for Oh Hyeon-gyu. Photo by Yonhap News

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national football team, has addressed the controversy surrounding the early substitution of Son Heung-min during the match against Mexico. He explained that a goal was needed by changing the game's momentum.

Regarding this, Coach Hong appeared on the KBS Sports YouTube channel "All's" on the 21st and said, "At that moment, we were in a situation where we absolutely needed to score," adding, "I judged that it would be better to bring in a fresher player."

He continued, "In the first half, we didn't see as many situations as we had hoped due to the intense marking by our opponents," but evaluated, "I think Son Heung-min did everything he could, such as making runs behind the defense." He further explained the decision by stating, "I wanted to make a change early on, score, and bring the game level."

Controversy Over Early Substitution of Son Heung-min... Criticism from Foreign Media

The controversy arose during the second group stage match against Mexico. South Korea lost 0-1, and captain Son Heung-min started as the front-line striker but was substituted in the 56th minute without recording any attacking points. The earlier-than-expected substitution drew criticism both inside and outside the football community.

Former and current players such as Park Joo-ho, Koo Ja-cheol, and Ki Sung-yueng also questioned the early substitution of Son Heung-min. There was also ongoing criticism regarding the tactics of deploying Son as the lone striker.

The match between South Korea and Mexico in Group A of the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup second round, held on the 18th (local time) at the Zapopan Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico. Son Heung-min is disappointed after missing a scoring opportunity. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 19th (local time), British media outlet Hotspur HQ also pointed out, "What was even more difficult to understand than Korea's defeat was the way Son Heung-min was handled," adding, "They isolated Korea's best player among defenders and substituted him with more than 30 minutes left in the match." The outlet further commented, "Positioning him centrally and forcing physical battles does not make the best use of his strengths."

Owen Hargreaves, a former Manchester United player, also reportedly expressed doubts about the substitution during the broadcast. This has led to criticism that the national team's tactics did not fully utilize the player's strengths.

South Africa Match Considered a 'Make-or-Break'... Fate in the Group Stage at Stake

Coach Hong also shared his determination for the remaining group stage fixtures. He emphasized, "A win is necessary to advance to the round of 32," and added, "We will analyze our opponents in detail, share their strengths and weaknesses, and prepare a strategy accordingly."

Currently, the national team has one win and one loss (three points), and has not yet secured passage through the group stage. The result of the final match against South Africa, which will be held at 10 a.m. (Korea Standard Time) on June 25 at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico, will determine whether the team advances to the tournament phase.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.