South Korea and Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min has taken Stoke City star Bae Junho under his wing on international duty
Bae Junho began his first international camp with the senior South Korean team with a sense of imposter syndrome and the impression that he was meeting a celebrity when training alongside Son Heung-min.
He concluded with the match ball provided to him after scoring on his debut, which had a message inscribed on it by captain Son stating that he is “the future of Korean football”.
Junho, 20, has had a tremendous year, rising to prominence at the under-20s World Cup, moving to England, and winning Stoke City’s Player of the Season award. He received his maiden senior call-up in May and scored in a crushing defeat over Singapore before making a cameo appearance in Seoul versus China.
The results secured South Korea’s participation in the 2027 World Cup as well as the next stage of qualification for the 2026 World Cup, and the newcomer has proven popular with fans and teammates.
He told the local press, “My confidence has definitely increased.” Training with these individuals and competing at a high level made me realise how competitive I was.
“In the changing room, my teammates autographed the ball, and the last one (Son) Heung-min handed it to me.
I was grateful when Heung-min wrote, ‘The future of Korean football.'” Son has also made a public personal intervention in the previous several days, urging fans not to put too much pressure on Junho.
The clamour from the 60,000-plus audience continued to grow when the Stoke forward was summoned from the bench against China, and he said: “I think the burden is something I have to bear.” It is natural for interest and expectations to rise as one moves up.
I am convinced that I can prove it, and I hope you will keep an eye on me till I advance to a higher position. He continued, “It’s a shame I didn’t have more time on the pitch. I’m not sure if I’ll get the chance, but if I’m called up again, I’ll prepare thoroughly and demonstrate my abilities.”
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