GUADALAJARA, Mexico — For South Korean captain Son Heung-min, the feeling of stepping into a FIFA World Cup never gets old. As the 33-year-old striker prepares to kick off his fourth consecutive World Cup tournament, he says the excitement matches that of a wide-eyed young player chasing the biggest dream in global soccer. What makes his 2026 campaign even more special? Early signs point to unexpected backing from local Mexican fans ahead of South Korea’s Group E opening match against the Czech Republic this Thursday in Guadalajara.
Fresh off an illustrious 11-year tenure with English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, Son recently made the move to Major League Soccer, where he currently plays for the LA-based LA Galaxy. With a large Mexican community already embracing him in Southern California, the connection has carried over across the border into co-host nation Mexico, where fans have affectionately dubbed him “Sonaldo”. The nickname pays homage to two of the game’s greatest forwards — Portugal’s legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, and Brazil’s iconic two-time World Cup champion Ronaldo Nazário.
In a press conference Wednesday held through a translator, Son opened up about the warm reception he has received from Mexican supporters. “I’m in L.A. now and there are a lot of Mexicans there,” he explained. “I can feel their passion and love for soccer, and they support me a lot. I’m very thankful and grateful.”
Despite the flattering comparison, Son pushed back on the nickname, saying he does not feel ready to carry such a lofty title just yet. “It’s not enough [for me] to take that name, at least not yet,” he added.
That fan support, however, will likely shift for South Korea’s second group-stage match, which will also be held in Guadalajara. Son’s side will face off against co-host Mexico, a fixture where the home crowd will overwhelmingly back the El Tri national side. The team’s final group match will be played further north in Monterrey against South Africa to wrap up the group stage.
With three previous World Cup appearances under his belt dating back to his debut at Brazil 2014, followed by campaigns in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, Son says he still feels the same childlike wonder that made him fall in love with the game as a kid. “Whether it’s the first or fourth World Cup, I feel like a young boy again,” Son said. “It’s my dream stage. I’m happy to be back on a World Cup pitch, it’s what I dreamed of from a very young age.”
The veteran striker also pushed back against recent widespread speculation that this tournament would mark his final World Cup appearance. “I never said that this would be my last World Cup,” he said. “How I do and perform is the most important thing.”
As the most experienced member of the current South Korean squad, Son has stepped into a natural leadership role, working to calm the nerves of the younger, first-time World Cup players in the group. “Sometimes I have to calm them, I have to say ’calm down,’” he said. “Hopefully we will have a good result. It would be deserved. We are well prepared.”
This tournament marks South Korea’s 12th World Cup appearance — more than any other Asian nation in the history of the competition. The country’s historic best run came during the 2002 World Cup, which it co-hosted with Japan, where the side advanced all the way to the semi-finals to finish in fourth place. In every World Cup campaign since 2002, South Korea has failed to advance beyond the round of 16, leaving the squad hungry to break that dry spell this year.