AFC Asian Cup
The 34-year-old will travel to Saudi Arabia to make a fifth and likely final attempt to lead his nation to their first AFC Asian Cup title since 1960 after going close to breaking that drought in 2015.
Factfile:
Age: 34
Caps: 152
Goals: 59
Club: Los Angeles FC (USA)
Age: 34
Caps: 152
Goals: 59
Club: Los Angeles FC (USA)
While Son made his first appearance at the continental championship at the age of 18 in Doha, it was four years later that his influence was at its most potent as Uli Stielike’s team advanced to the final in Australia.
Son had already scored twice in extra-time to earn Korea Republic a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals before netting a stoppage time equaliser against the hosts in the final in Sydney to take the decider to extra-time.
However, James Triosi’s winner broke the hearts of Son and his team mates and their wait to claim the AFC Asian Cup title continues after a quarter-final exit in 2019 and defeat in the semi-finals to Jordan in the most recent edition
TriviaKorea Republic have won by a 1-0 margin 11 times in the AFC Asian Cup, the most by any side; Japan (10) are the only other side to do so 10+ times.
While Son has experienced near-misses and disappointment at the AFC Asian Cup, at club level he has forged one of the finest careers of any Asian player.
He made the move to Europe during his teenage years, joining SV Hamburg in 2008 as a 16-year-old before signing for Bayer Leverkusen in 2013. His performances in the Bundesliga caught the eye of Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur and he moved to England in 2015.
It was in London that Son shone brightest, justifying a record outlay for an Asian player by the club to go on and become one of the continent’s finest ever exports.
In 2019 he featured in the Tottenham side that finished runners-up in the UEFA Champions League as his pace, direct running and unerring finishing ability helped fuel Mauricio Pochettino’s exciting team.
The following season he won the FIFA Puksas Award for his stunning solo goal against Burnley and in the 2021/22 season he shared the Premier League’s Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah as the competition’s leading scorer.
Son completed his time with Tottenham on a high by leading the club to the UEFA Europa League title in 2025 before departing as a club legend to join Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer.
Despite reaching the tail end of his career, Son’s influence remains strong for Korea Republic.
He captained his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in his fourth appearance at the finals and is sure to be a central figure as the Taegeuk Warriors attempt yet again to win the AFC Asian Cup.
