Captain Son Heung-min Shares Excitement, Pressure He Feels Ahead of World Cup

Korea national team captain Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur is determined to give people faith in the team as the country prepares to play its last friendlies ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November.

Korea will face Costa Rica in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on Friday and Cameroon in Seoul on Sept. 27. 

"I want to give people faith that we will do well at the World Cup. We will show we've become one," Son said at a press conference at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. "The World Cup is always a daunting stage because I know how much everyone in the country values the event."  

Son is regaining his goal-scoring form, posting three goals in a match against Leister City last Saturday after eight goalless matches in a row in the English Premier League.

"Scoring a hat trick didn't affect my mood. I always play thinking that I'm a good player. If I felt pressured [every time I played poorly], I couldn't succeed," he said. "While I was experiencing a goal drought, I was thinking about how I would draw energy from Korean fans during the friendlies. But something unbelievable just happened thanks to my clubmates, and I'm so happy." 

He also talked about the weight of being a captain. "I've captained the team for quite a time now, but I still wonder if I'm a good leader. I don't think I have good leadership skills. I think things have gone well because of my great teammates," Son said.

Son will make his third World Cup appearance in Qatar.

"The World Cup is a festival that not everyone can participate in. I've played at two World Cups, but got disappointing results because of pressure. Although the World Cup can be intimidating, the important thing is to do everything we want to do while feeling at ease and enjoying the experience abroad. We need to enjoy [the World Cup] to achieve our goal," he said.