Videos show physical punishment, foul language by Son Heung-min's father, coaches at football academy

Under investigation for child abuse allegations, Son Woong-jung, football coach and father of South Korean Premier League star Son Heung-min, was seen kicking a young player at his namesake academy in a video obtained by Yonhap News Agency on Friday. Another clip showed other coaches at Son Football Academy, located in the eastern city of Chuncheon, yell at junior players with profanity during a match in Fukuoka, Japan. The senior Son and two of his coaches at the academy, including Son Heung-mi

July 5, 2024

[Graphic News] Transfer values of Asian soccer players

"Golden Boy" Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has been ranked second in transfer value among Asian soccer players by the International Centre for Sports Studies, affiliated with FIFA. Transfer value is a comprehensive figure considering factors such as a player's age, remaining contract period, playing time and performance record. Lee has been valued at $53.1 million, placing him second among Asian players. Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich ranks fourth with a transfer value

July 5, 2024

Senior official handling men's football coaching search offers to resign

A senior South Korean football executive in charge of the men's national team coaching search has offered to resign, officials said Saturday, as the country's bid to hire a new bench boss took an unexpected turn. According to officials at the Korea Football Association, Chung Hae-soung, head of the National Teams Committee at the KFA, expressed his intent to step down during his visit to the KFA headquarters in Seoul on Friday. Chung cited his declining health as a reason, but the KFA

June 29, 2024

Summer exhibitions featuring Tottenham sold out

Tickets for summer exhibition matches in Seoul involving the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have all sold out, organizers announced Saturday. South Korean streaming service Coupang Play said tickets for two matches in the "2024 Coupang Play Series" were all snapped up after going on sale at 8 p.m. Friday on its website. Tickets were only available to paying members of Coupang WOW services. Tottenham, captained by South Korean star Son Heung-min, will first face Team K League, ma

June 29, 2024

Korea to face 5 Middle East foes in World Cup qualification

South Korea will play five Middle East teams in the next phase of their qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. South Korea ended up with Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait in Group B in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualification, following the draw in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. The 18 qualified teams from the second round were divided into six pots based on their FIFA world rankings released last Thursday. Each group contained one from each of the six pots. As world

June 27, 2024

[Graphic News] Son Heung-min named 10th-best forward

ESPN’s FC 100 has ranked Son Heung-min among the world’s top soccer players, placing him 10th in the forwards category. The FC 100 list features the world’s top 100 soccer players, with selections divided into 10 goalkeepers, 30 defenders, 30 midfielders and 30 forwards. Son, ranked 10th among forwards, received praise from ESPN: “One of the most steadily successful players — and best finishers — in the Premier League kept right on going at age 31 this seaso

June 17, 2024

Ex-MVP Son Jun-ho returns to K League after release in China

South Korean international and former MVP Son Jun-ho is returning to the top-flight K League 1, a little more than a year after being detained by Chinese authorities over alleged bribery charges. Suwon FC announced Friday they have acquired the 32-year-old midfielder. Financial terms were not disclosed. Son, considered a smart playmaker who can play on both ends, will join the team for training immediately but will be formally registered next Thursday. Son, who began playing for Chinese club S

June 14, 2024

Son Heung-min logs 127th cap, moves into tie for 4th on S. Korean list

South Korean captain Son Heung-min collected his 127th cap for the national team Tuesday, moving into a tie for fourth place on the country's all-time list. Son was in the starting XI for the host South Korea in their World Cup qualifying match against China at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Son is now level with former left back Lee Young-pyo. Two retired legends, Cha Bum-kun and Hong Myung-bo, are tied atop the rankings with 136 caps. The match against China is the final Group C contest for b

June 11, 2024

Tottenham's Son scores twice as South Korea rout Singapore 7-0

SINGAPORE (AFP) -- PSG's Lee Kang-in and Tottenham's Son Heung-min both scored twice as South Korea trounced Singapore 7-0 on Thursday to seal their passage into the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Watched by a crowd of 49,097 at Singapore's National Stadium, the visitors took the lead after nine minutes when Son was denied by a fine save by Hassan Sunny but Joo Min-kyu retrieved the loose ball and laid it off for Lee to fire home a fierce right-foot

June 6, 2024

Over 100 fans banned from K League matches over bottle-throwing incident

The South Korean football club Incheon United announced Thursday they have banned 124 fans from attending their home matches after throwing water bottles onto the field after a recent loss. Incheon said the 124 fans had reported themselves to the team and acknowledged their involvement in the incident in the aftermath of Incheon's 2-1 loss to FC Seoul at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, just west of the capital city, on May 11. They will be banned from coming to Incheon's home matc

May 23, 2024

S. Korean-coached Indonesia fall short of direct Olympic football spot

Coached by South Korean native Shin Tae-yong, Indonesia have just missed out on the final direct Asian berth in this year's Olympic men's football tournament. Indonesia lost to Iraq 2-1 in extra time in the third-place match of the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Thursday. This AFC tournament also serves as the final Asian qualifying tournament for the Paris Olympics, and the top three countries each earned guaranteed spots in Fran

May 3, 2024

After bitter defeat, S. Korean soccer coach blames himself, calls for overhaul

Hwang Sun-hong, the head coach of the South Korean Olympic men's soccer team, said he shoulders the biggest share of the blame for the team's bitter defeat Friday at the hands of underdog Indonesia. The 55-year-old also urged for an overhaul of the U-23 national team system, speaking at a press conference after returning home at Incheon Airport on Saturday. Hwang stressed the need for a four-year plan for the youth squad without the pressure of midterm reviews after South Korea was kno

April 28, 2024

10-man S. Korea lose to Indonesia to miss out on Paris Olympic football qualification

South Korea fell to Indonesia 11-10 on penalties to be eliminated from the Olympic men's football qualifiers in Qatar on Thursday, unable to grab a ticket to Paris after losing their best scorer and head coach in the second half. Indonesia's 12th kicker Pratama Arhan scored after Lee Kang-hee was denied by Ernando Ari in the nailbiting shootout in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha. This tournament doubles as the

April 26, 2024

Football coach stresses cohesion ahead of Olympic qualifiers

With South Korea preparing for the Olympic men's football qualifying tournament kicking off in two weeks, head coach Hwang Sun-hong on Monday emphasized the importance of cohesion. "There will be no such thing as an easy opponent," Hwang told reporters before a training session at Icheon Stadium in Icheon, some 60 kilometers south of Seoul. "No matter whom we face, it's really up to how we prepare. Our players have a strong desire to play at the Olympics, and I have conf

April 1, 2024

Son Heung-min scores 15th goal of Premier League season

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur scored in his first match back with his Premier League club following international duty, helping his side stay in the top-four battle. Son scored the 86th-minute winner in Spurs' 2-1 victory over Luton Town at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday. With four minutes of normal time left, Son collected a pass from Brennan Johnson and unleashed a shot that deflected off defender Daiki Hashioka on its way into the net. The victory gave Tottenham 56

March 31, 2024

Late-blooming football defender savors 1st int'l goal in World Cup qualifier

Three South Korean players scored a goal apiece in the team's 3-0 win over Thailand in their latest World Cup qualifying match Tuesday night in Bangkok, and defender Park Jin-seop had a particularly emphatic celebration. As soon as his right-footed shot from close range found the back of the net at Rajamangala Stadium, Park got down on both knees and raised his arms, and let out a primal scream of pure, unbridled joy. It was Park's first international goal in his sixth international ma

March 27, 2024

With Olympics looming, nat'l football caretaker coach not interested in double duty

For South Korea's two World Cup qualifying matches, Hwang Sun-hong was thrust into a difficult situation. Hwang, head coach of the South Korean under-23 men's team trying to qualify for the Olympics, was named the senior squad's caretaker manager for March. His job was to hold the fort for two matches against Thailand and keep South Korea atop their group in the Asian World Cup qualifying tournament, while the Korea Football Association continued its search for a full-time repla

March 27, 2024

S. Korean football player returns home after 10-month detention in China

South Korean football player Son Jun-ho returned home Monday after being detained in China for around 10 months, authorities here said. Son, a national team veteran who plays for Shandong Taishan in the Chinese Super League, had been held in Liaoning province since last May on alleged bribery charges. The Korea Football Association confirmed Son's release, stating that he arrived in the country through Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, west of Seoul. "We

March 25, 2024

S. Korea held by Thailand in World Cup qualifying match at home

South Korea settled for a 1-1 draw against Thailand in their latest World Cup qualifying match at home Thursday, a disappointing result coming on the heels of off-field controversy for the national team. Captain Son Heung-min scored in the 42nd minute but Suphanat Mueanta had the answer for Thailand in the 61st minute at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Group C action of the second round in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. South Korea, world No. 22, s

March 21, 2024

[Graphic News] South Korean squad for World Cup qualifiers

On March 11, Hwang Sun-hong, the interim boss for the men’s national team, announced his 23-man squad for South Korea’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers. South Korea faces Thailand on Thursday on home turf, then again on March 26 in the Southeast Asian country. The two matches against Thailand will be the first time South Korea’s national team assembles again since losing to Jordan 2-0 in the semifinals of the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in was a

March 21, 2024