‘Bull’ Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), who has remained injury-free in the English Premier League (EPL) this season, has emphasized his ‘synergy’ with ‘Clean Lake Captain’ Son Heung-min (Tottenham).
“I’m glad that (Son) Heung-min was able to finish the EPL match with his brother well and return home with a good result,” Hwang Hee-chan told reporters before the national team’s training session at Mokdongju Stadium on the 13th. “We played together for a long time in the national team, so it was new and special to meet this time, but now that the World Cup qualifiers are starting, we will prepare well to play a good role for the team by creating synergy.”
Hwang played in the “Korean Derby” with Son Heung-min in the 12th round of the 2023-2024 EPL on Nov. 11, with Wolverhampton coming from behind to win 2-1.
“It’s not new to see (Son) Heung-min in the national team, but it was a special and new feeling to see him on the other team,” Hwang said. “We didn’t talk much because we had to travel right after the game. I think he was probably upset as the captain because Tottenham was leading and we lost two games in a row.”
Klinsmann’s men will kick off their second Asian qualifying campaign for the FIFA Confederations Cup North America 2026 on June 16 against Singapore.
“It’s been more than a year since we went to the World Cup in Qatar. “I think the national team did well at the last World Cup and showed a lot of hope,” said Hwang, “so this qualifier is more special. We have a lot of good players, so we will try to do well in the qualifiers this time as well so that Korean soccer can do well in the next World Cup.”
“I don’t think Singapore is an underdog. Many of their players are in good form, so we will try to create a good synergy,” he said. “We will prepare to score as many goals as we can. It’s our last A match in Korea this year, so we’re going to put on our best show.”
Meanwhile, Hwang Hee-chan, who has been plagued by frequent hamstring injuries, has been on a roll this season, scoring the most goals in a single EPL regular season (six).
“I’ve gone through a lot of trial and error in my professional career,” Hwang explained, “and I’ve improved a lot in those tough moments, and although I don’t have the right answer, I now know how to take better care of my body.”
“I’m trying to take care of my body because the less injured I am, the better I can perform,” he said, adding, “I wouldn’t say that my hamstring is completely fine now, but I’m trying to manage it so that it doesn’t get worse.” 먹튀검증