"I Never Said It Was the Last One"... Son Heung-min, Who Said He Had "Bet His Life on It," Explains Why He Rejected the Final Dance [2026 World Cup]

[Financial News] While everyone was talking about a "final last dance," the man himself quietly shook his head. Son Heung-min of the South Korea national football team, the team's eternal captain, has issued a determined statement ahead of his fourth World Cup. Rather than focusing on the retirement timeline predicted by the public, he is vowing to concentrate only on victory in front of him and his commitment to the team.
Son attended the official press conference for the opening Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico, the site of the showdown, on Oct. 10 local time.
He made no attempt to hide the pressure and resolve ahead of the decisive match against the Czech Republic, saying, "Every World Cup game is so important that, as a player, you feel like you're betting your life on it." The squad's morale has already passed the boiling point. Son said, "I almost have to calm the players down because everyone has prepared with such passion," and added, "I hope all that effort will blossom, and they absolutely deserve it."
This tournament carries special meaning for Son. The youngest member of the squad, who once shed tears at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, has since become an irreplaceable pillar of the national team through the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. With his career entering its twilight, many believe this could be his final stage, but Son sees it differently.
He said, "Whether it's my first World Cup or my last, my mindset is similar. It's a stage I've always dreamed of, like a child would." He added, "I have never decided that this is my last World Cup. People around me are free to say what they want, but I will just do my role and choose my own path wisely," drawing a firm line.

The concerns proved unfounded. Son, who had frustrated those around him by failing to score a single goal for LAFC this season, became a completely different player once he put on the Taegeuk mark. In a warm-up match against Trinidad and Tobago just before the tournament, he quickly scored a brace, lifting his match sharpness and confidence to their peak. As he has always done, he overcame his silence at club level by confronting it head-on with the national team.
The Czech Republic, South Korea's first hurdle, is a formidable dark horse that reached the World Cup finals for the first time in 20 years. With 10 players over 190 cm tall, the team relies on a powerful aerial game. But the captain's vocabulary does not include the word intimidated.
Son said, "Every team has strengths, but its weaknesses are just as clear. We have analyzed that thoroughly, and I will make sure to show the kind of play I can deliver on the pitch." On a night in Guadalajara filled with a sense of resolve, Son Heung-min, who said he had bet his life on it, is once again aiming his boots at a great miracle.

jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter