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Son Heung-min breaks Korea’s all-time caps record as Taegeuk Warriors face Brazil in Seoul

Published: 10 Oct. 2025, 20:58

Son Heung-min evades a tackle during a friendly match between Korea and Brazil at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Oct. 10. [YONHAP]

Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC made history on Friday by becoming the most-capped player in Korean men’s national team history.

The Korean captain started in the friendly match against Brazil at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul, marking his 137th international appearance. The milestone surpasses the previous record of 136 matches held jointly by former national team manager Cha Bum-kun and current head coach Hong Myung-bo.

Son made his senior international debut in 2010 at age 18 during a friendly against Syria. Over the past 15 years, he has become a cornerstone of Korean football, consistently representing his country while evolving into its leading attacking figure.

Head coach Hong’s squad was set to deploy a back-three system against Brazil. Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain and Lee Jae-sung of Mainz will likely support Son in the attack, with Paik Seung-ho of Birmingham City and Hwang In-beom of Feyenoord anchoring the midfield.

Lee Jae-sung also achieved a major personal milestone, joining the Century Club by earning his 100th international cap.

The defensive trio was set to feature Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, Kim Ju-sung of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and Cho Yu-min of Sharjah. On the flanks, Lee Tae-seok of Austria Wien and Seol Young-woo of Crvena Zvezda will likely be deployed as wing-backs, while Jo Hyeon-woo of Ulsan HD started in goal.

Brazil, led by veteran Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, fielded a full-strength side featuring Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior of Real Madrid and Casemiro of Manchester United.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PIH JU-YOUNG [[email protected]]