Son Heung-min stays South Korea captain as players linked to reported rift return

South Korea named captain Son Heung-min and three players linked to reported team tensions in its 26-man squad on Oct. 29 for November football friendlies in Doha, according to Yonhap News Agency. Temporary coach Robert Moreno said Son would remain captain, making the selection a first public indication of how he plans to manage the squad after the dispute surfaced.

Defender Kim Min-jae, midfielder Hwang In-beom and winger Hwang Hee-chan were all selected alongside Son. South Korea is scheduled to face Saudi Arabia on Nov. 13 and Qatar on Nov. 17, with both matches in Doha.

What Moreno said about Son and the squad

Yonhap reported that Kim, Hwang In-beom and Hwang Hee-chan had told teammates after South Korea’s Oct. 6 match against Uzbekistan that they wanted to retire from international duty, apparently because of frustration with Son. The Korea Herald separately reported that the three had voiced dissatisfaction with Son’s leadership, but said Hwang In-beom later clarified that he had not intended to retire. The Herald said tensions had not been fully resolved.

The episode prompted speculation and personal attacks online. The Korea Football Association urged fans to stop attacking players, Yonhap reported. Asked about fans’ concerns, Moreno said his job was to put the best team on the field. He said face-to-face conversations could resolve many problems and that differing opinions were possible even in strong teams.

November fixtures and Moreno’s future

The squad also includes two first-time selections: Gangwon FC defender Shin Min-ha and FC Seoul midfielder Son Jeong-beom. At 19, Son Jeong-beom is the youngest player selected, according to Yonhap. The Korea Herald reported that Moreno planned to travel to Europe to assess players based there and was expected to meet Kim and the two Hwangs during that trip.

The Doha games will be Moreno’s fifth and sixth matches since his appointment in September. South Korea beat Ecuador and Uzbekistan, lost to Uruguay and drew with Venezuela in his first four games. Moreno’s contract runs through Nov. 27; Yonhap reported that the association would consider keeping him through the Asian Cup, scheduled to begin in January, depending on the results across his six matches.