First Attempt Since Joining National Team Training
Sweating Profusely Without Showing Any Sign of Discomfort
Son Heung-min (Tottenham), who underwent surgery for an orbital fracture, has recovered enough to use his head.
The South Korean national football team, led by coach Paulo Bento, resumed training on the 21st (Korean time) at Al Egla training ground in Doha, Qatar. They refined tactics and improved their physical condition with the first Group H match against Uruguay in mind.
After a sweet rest the previous day, the players were divided into three groups to perform core training, cycling, and balance exercises. Son Heung-min participated in training still wearing a black facial protective mask. He repeatedly performed actions such as kicking back the ball thrown by Son Jun-ho (Shandong Taishan) on a Bosu ball (balance ball). Despite wearing the mask, he sweated profusely without showing any signs of discomfort, just like the other players.
His rapid recovery was also evident during continued balance training with his head. For the first time since joining the national team training, he attempted headers. When the ball from Son Jun-ho approached high, he reflexively headed it. Son Heung-min tried several more headers by the end of the balance training. He seemed to have recovered enough not to feel pain in the injured area even with light headers. Coach Bento watched closely without any particular change in expression.
The national team will face Uruguay at 10 PM on the 24th at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan. There are three training sessions left before the decisive match. If Son Heung-min’s physical condition approaches normal, the tactical effectiveness can be maximized. On the same day, Son Heung-min posted a scene from a beer commercial he modeled for on Instagram, writing, "Preparation is complete. It’s time to chase the biggest dream."
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