When Korea host Ghana in a males’s soccer pleasant match in Seoul on Tuesday, captain Son Heung-min may have an opportunity to reunite along with his former youth coach from Germany, the present Ghana boss Otto Addo.
Addo was Son’s coach when the then 17-year-old performed for Hamburger SV’s youth academy in 2009. The 2 additionally crossed paths through the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the place Son was Korea’s captain and Addo was main Ghana. Ghana prevailed 3-2 of their group stage match then.
Addo, who stepped down after that World Cup, is again on Ghana’s bench for a second spell, whereas Son has remained captain of the Taegeuk Warriors.
Reflecting on their previous on Monday, Son mentioned Addo, born in Germany to Ghanaian dad and mom, had provided him “large assist” in his growth as a soccer participant.
As soon as Tuesday’s match kicks off, although, it is going to be all enterprise for each, Son mentioned.
“In spite of everything, coach Addo will attempt to win the match for his workforce and I’ll do the identical for my workforce. That is the character of this aggressive world,” Son mentioned at his prematch press convention at Seoul World Cup Stadium. “Will probably be nice to see him once more three years after Qatar, and particularly accomplish that right here in Korea. On the finish of the day, I need to assist my workforce win, and that is the one factor I’m going to deal with.”
This might be Korea’s ultimate match of 2025 and Son pressured the significance of ending the season with a win — and never simply to get revenge towards Ghana.
“I do not suppose we’re paying an excessive amount of thoughts to our loss from three years in the past. Getting ready for the subsequent World Cup is extra necessary,” Son added. “We are able to meet them once more on the World Cup they usually’ve been among the best groups in Africa. Enjoying a workforce like that might be a very good studying expertise for us, particularly for some younger guys who’ve by no means confronted Ghana earlier than.”
Requested if he’d given his inexperienced teammates any recommendations on easy methods to deal with Ghana, Son mentioned, “They’ve some gifted gamers with good pace, and now we have to be cautious of these qualities.”
Whereas not everybody has expertise taking part in Ghana, Son, 33, famous that many younger gamers on the nationwide workforce in the present day carry loads of pedigree of getting competed towards the very best in Europe.
“We have had guys win the UEFA Champions League and battle for trophies in huge European leagues, and I feel these experiences will assist us on the World Cup in an enormous means,” Son mentioned. “I additionally like the truth that all of them carry distinctive qualities as gamers. I feel it is a main plus for our workforce that they play with a lot confidence. We definitely have just a few issues to repair however I’m assured now we have loads of time to handle them as we prepare for the World Cup.”
