Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung Min will be undergoing surgery today in hopes of participating in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Koreans’ hope for a successful FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was dashed on November 1 when the country’s world-class Tottenham Hotspur forward, Son Heung Min, suffered an injury during a Champions League match against Marseille.
During the match’s first half, Son Heung Min was involved in a collision with Marseille’s defender, Chancel Mbemba. It was later revealed that Son Heung Min had suffered four fractures to his eye socket and would need surgery.
We’ve reported earlier that Manchester City midfielder, Kevin de Bruyne, suffered a similar fracture and returned to the pitch for his country Belgium for the European Championships in 21 days, but with the World Cup to start on November 24, there are many doubts about Son Heung Min’s availability for the tournament.
On November 4, it was reported that Son Heung Min would be undergoing surgery on this day in hopes of making a return in time for the World Cup. Although the news was met with relief by many, many others still raised concerns over the superstar’s health.
In an online community, a Korean netizen authored a post expressing their concerns that the footballer was putting his health in jeopardy for the tournament.
They say he’s undergoing surgery today to make it in time for the Qatar World Cup. Looking at the article above, his face is very swollen… The World Cup is important, but I hope he takes care of his own health first.
— Netizen
Other netizens chimed in, with many stating that Korea’s captain has already done so much for the national team and that he should prioritize his own soccer future before all else.
- “Heung Min just rest…”
- “Please don’t overdo it. With Bento’s (the Korean National team’s coach) tactics, we don’t really have much hope anyways. There is no reason for you to come when you’re injured.”
- “I can’t imagine a World Cup without Son Heung Min. Even so, I hope for his career’s sake, he just rests. He still has so much to show in the professional leagues. He can’t afford further injuries.”
- “What has the country ever done for you? At times like this, put your patriotism aside and think about your health first.”
- “Son Heung Min has done so much for us already… The fact that he’s become one of the best players in the best league alone is enough. Don’t worry about the World Cup, and just focus on your recovery.”
- “I hope he doesn’t overdo it, as it will take time for his injuries to heal.”
As netizens have pointed out, there is much at stake for Son Heung Min. His professional club, Tottenham Hotspurs, under the guidance of Antonio Conte, is in the thick of multiple trophy hunts this year. Tottenham is currently sitting in third in the English Premier League table and trails Arsenal for first by just five points.
Tottenham has also advanced from the group stages of the Champions League and will need to rely on a healthy Son Heung Min if they are to make it further into the tournament.
The injury also comes amid rumors of interest in the Korean forward’s service from some of the world’s biggest clubs. According to multiple sources, Real Madrid and Liverpool are among the clubs considering making a move for Son Heung Min, making the star’s full recovery even more paramount in importance.
