Son Heung-min admitted he thought about quitting playing for his country after a tough Asian Cup experience with South Korea, but he decided to continue for the sake of the fans.
After South Korea lost 2-0 to Jordan in the semifinals last month, Son, who captains both his country and Tottenham Hotspur, hinted that he was unsure about his future in international football.
It was later revealed that Son had played with a dislocated finger due to a disagreement with teammate Lee Kang-in before the game.
Jürgen Klinsmann, who had promised to lead South Korea to their first Asian Cup victory in 64 years, was then fired after just one year as coach.
“Representing the national team is a promise I made to the fans,” Son said to reporters after Thursday’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Thailand in a World Cup qualifier. “I am committed to fulfilling that promise,” he added.
“I will keep working hard and hope to become mentally stronger so that I never consider quitting again.”
Son also shared that he consulted with fellow South Korean and former Manchester United player Park Ji-sung about his decision. “I have always appreciated the opportunity to play for my country,” Son continued. “But if I had only thought about myself, I might have decided to quit.”
Son scored his 45th goal for South Korea near the end of the first half against Thailand, but Thailand managed to equalize just after the hour mark. The two teams will face each other again in Bangkok on Tuesday as South Korea aims to progress to the next stage of World Cup qualifiers.
