# Roster rifts, police raids and Son’s uncertain future leave South Korea at a crossroads

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/roster-rifts-police-raids-and-sons-uncertain-future-leave-south-korea-at-a-crossroads/
- Published: 2026-10-30T09:00:49+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T09:48:16+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/30/south-korea-national-team-scandals-son-heung-min
- Topics: Asia, Football, Sport, World

## Key points

- South Korea’s World Cup exit deepened tensions in the national team.
- Senior players reportedly questioned Son’s leadership.
- The team faces uncertainty before the Asian Cup.

## Summary

South Korea’s men’s football team is facing a leadership crisis after a poor World Cup, with reports of divisions between senior players and captain Son Heung-min. The dispute matters because the team is unsettled ahead of the Asian Cup, while the coach and football association are also in transition.

South Korea exited the World Cup in the group stage, and Son, 34, was benched for the final match. Reports say players born in 1996, including Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom and Hwang Hee-chan, are unhappy with the team’s leadership and wanted a new captain and coach; they were reportedly considering quitting before a federation official persuaded them to stay. Interim coach Robert Moreno is in place until the end of November, and the KFA has no president after its previous leaders resigned amid scrutiny and a police raid.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.