Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-Min has declared himself fit ahead of the World Cup qualifiers for South Korea, reports from Korean outlet Korea Herald indicate.
The Spurs star suffered a fractured right forearm during a World Cup qualifier against Qatar in June. He was expected to miss the start of the season although his recovery has been swift, making him available from the start of the season. Son made his first start of the term against Burnley at Wembley last weekend where he played 70 minutes.
Though he still has his arm in a cast, Son believes that he is in good shape to play a full game for South Korea in the qualifiers. Son joined his teammates at the camp ahead of the games against Iran on Thursday and Uzbekistan next Tuesday.
These are the final two World Cup qualifying matches for South Korea and are essentially must-win for them. Ranked second in the group with 13 points, they are followed closely by Uzbekistan on 12 points. Iran with 20 points have already qualified and there is only one more automatic berth available, with the third-placed side going into playoffs.
Son feels that he is fully fit and can contribute as good as last year. As quoted by the Korea Herald, Son said,
“I did so much running (during rehab) that I think I am pretty well-conditioned. I think my form is as good as it was last year.”
Last season saw the striker notch up 21 goals for Tottenham and set a South Korean scoring record for a single season in Europe. The 25-year-old established himself as one of the first names on the sheet under Mauricio Pochettino.
Tottenham have had a tough start to the Premier League season, picking up just 4 points from three matches. That included a loss (to Chelsea) and a draw (to Burnley) at temporary home, Wembley.
With many fans worried about the ‘Wembley Curse’, the onus is on Pochettino to get things going after the international break. Champions League action too will pick up next month, with Tottenham slotted in a ‘Group of Death’.
Paired together with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, Pochettino will hope to see Son come back to full fitness and help his side in the congested fixtures of September. Let’s hope that he uses these two matches for South Korea to build up his fitness and return rejuvenated once the club football resumes.
