Son Heung-min has revealed that he did seriously consider retiring from international football after South Korea’s Asian Cup elimination but explained that he came to his senses when he considered the feelings of the fans and his teammates.
It really did seem like this could be Korea’s year to be crowned Champions of Asia especially after the likes of Japan and Saudi Arabia were knocked out relatively early in the tournament.
All the Taegeuk Warriors needed to do was to overcome Jordan to book a place in the final against hosts Qatar and potentially have a chance to win the trophy for the first time since 1960.
However, they fell to a 2-0 defeat in the semifinal and reports since emerged that was not well in the camp leading up to the game, with the players reportedly engaging in a physical altercation on the eve of the Jordan clash (The Sun).
Heung-min Son considered international retirement
Jurgen Klinsmann lost his job after the elimination and Son has now admitted that he seriously considered hanging up his boots after the tournament.
The Tottenham captain told Chosun: “It’s a difficult question. I’ve never taken the national team for granted. I’ve always felt grateful and honoured. If I really thought about it personally, I would quit. I was almost there.”
MORE SPURS STORIES
However, the forward explained that the love he received from the fans made him reconsider his decision and vowed to continue doing his best for his nation in the years to come.
The 31-year-old added: “I don’t think there are many footballers who are loved as much as I am, and I never take it for granted. They were the first thing that came to mind, and I also thought about whether I could leave all the burdens on my teammates in such a difficult situation,” Son explained.
“The support of my family and many fans has been a great help. It’s a promise between me and the football fans. I want to keep it, and I hope I can grow into a strong person so that I will never have such weak thoughts again.”
Spurs Web Opinion
We know Sonny is an emotional guy and someone who takes it upon himself to ensure that his sides succeed. So one can imagine just how much South Korea’s semifinal elimination would have affected him.
Thankfully, it sounds like the 31-year-old has now put that disappointment behind him and is now extremely hungry to succeed for both club and country.
Keep up to date with all the latest Tottenham news and opinion by following SpursWeb’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
