Son Heung-min arrives in Qatar carrying a new mask

Football

Published: 16 Nov. 2022, 15:20 Updated: 21 Nov. 2022, 10:36

Son Heung-min arrives in Qatar carrying a new mask

$Son Heung-min wears a mask to protect the healing fracture during the Korean national team training session on Wednesday at Al Egla Training Facility, Doha, Qatar. [JOONANG ILBO]$

Son Heung-min wears a mask to protect the healing fracture during the Korean national team training session on Wednesday at Al Egla Training Facility, Doha, Qatar. [JOONANG ILBO]

Son Heung-min arrived in Doha on Tuesday night ready to join the Korean national team in training ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. In his bag, according to officials, Son was carrying a face mask provided by Tottenham Hotspur.

Whether Son, who underwent surgery earlier this month on one or multiple orbital fractures, will play wearing the mask — or indeed play at all — remains to be seen, but the Korean captain arrived in Qatar with every intention of making it into the squad.

"We'll just have to keep monitoring it and see how I recover," Son told reporters outside the airport. "As I've said before, I will do the best I can and make sure I never let people down.

“I want to have an unforgettable World Cup with my teammates."

Son’s eye socket was fractured after Chancel Mbemba’s shoulder connected with his face during the 29th minute of a Champions League game between Tottenham Hotspur and Marseille at Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, France on Nov. 1.

He underwent surgery on Nov. 4, with the Korea Football Association saying on Nov. 5 that the surgery was successful.

Son stayed quiet about the injury until Nov. 9, when he said in an Instagram post that he intended to compete at the World Cup and if needed, would do so in a mask.

Son Heung-min arrived in Doha on Tuesday night to join the Korean national team preparing for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. [JOONGANG ILBO]

“Playing for your country at the World Cup is the dream of so many children growing up, just as it was one of mine too,” Son said in English in a post on his personal Instagram account. “I won’t miss this for the world. I can’t wait to represent our beautiful country, see you soon.”

While the English section of the post made no mention of a mask, a Korean section was more revealing.

“Compared to the masks you’ve had to wear for the last two years,” Son said, referencing the face masks warn during the Covid-19 pandemic,” the mask that I will wear at the World Cup will be nothing.”

Speaking to the JoongAng Ilbo on Tuesday, an official from the Korea Football Association confirmed that Son had brought a mask to Qatar.

"Son Heung-min is bringing a mask produced by the club," the official said. "It is unknown whether he will wear it at the World Cup."

If Son is able to play, there is a high chance that he will do so in a mask to protect the healing fracture, which will have been secured with a small metal plate or plates during surgery.

If that happens, Son won’t be the first Korean player to appear at a World Cup in a mask. Kim Tae-young, a former Jeonnam Dragons and national team defender, famously wore a nose guard mask during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup after he broke his nose during a round of 16 game against Italy.

Kim’s mask, which earned him the nickname “Tiger Mask” for the rest of his career, was made using a mold of his face by two Japanese manufacturers that teammate Yoo Sang-chul introduced him to. There do not appear to be any records of what it was made out of, but it was likely fiberglass or a light-weight plastic. Kim still keeps the mask in a glass display case.

Son appeared in a mask, which appeared to be the carbon-fiber variety commonly used in recent years, during training on Wednesday.

But there is also a chance that Son may be able to play without wearing a mask at all.

Last year, Kevin de Bruyne sustained a similar facial injury in a Champions League game and still managed to appear for Belgium at the Euros two weeks later without a mask.

Son still has eight days left to recover and train. Korea will play their first game of the 2022 Qatar World Cup against Uruguay on Nov. 24.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]