Son apologises to fans after South Korea's early World Cup exit; coach Hong jeered on return home

Son apologises to fans after South Korea's early World Cup exit; coach Hong jeered on return home Fans booed and chanted "Hong out!" as coach Hong Myung-bo made his way out of the airport, but applauded the players who followed behind him. SEOUL: South Korea's captain Son Heung-min issued an apology on Tuesday (Jun 30) to fans after the squad's stunning World Cup first-round elimination, a reality he said was "not easy to accept". Fans angered by the country's World Cup first-round exit greeted the returning squad early on Tuesday with one message for head coach Hong Myung-bo: His time was up. Hong, a former national team defender, resigned on Sunday after South Korea finished the group stage with one win and two losses, dashing hopes of a deep run led by Son. South Korea crashed out after failing to qualify for the knockout stage as one of the tournament's eight best third-placed teams. The last 32 had appeared within reach until a shock 1-0 defeat to lower-ranked South Africa in their final group match ended their campaign. Former Tottenham captain Son was benched for the first half against South Africa, when a draw would have likely been enough to see South Korea advance. "I honestly don't know where to begin. I can't pretend nothing happened, and I don't want to run away from reality," Son wrote on Instagram. "First and foremost, I want to offer my sincerest apologies to the people of South Korea and to all the fans who have supported and loved our national football team," he added. Son said South Korea's early exit was hard to fathom, noting: "To be honest, even now, it is not easy to accept this reality." It was widely expected that this year's World Cup - Son's fourth appearance - was likely to be his last, and questions linger about whether he will continue representing the national team after the tournament. Son did not address the retirement issue in his post but said he would do everything he could to win back the hearts of the fans. "Rather than try to express everything in words now, I will do everything I can, from where I stand, to win back the hearts of the South Korean people and football fans," he said. "I will fight with everything I have to bring joy to you again," added Son. Son played throughout the second half but was unable to overturn the 1-0 deficit, an outcome that prompted angry criticism of Hong in the aftermath. Hong walked silently out of the arrival gate at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday under heavy media scrutiny, declining to answer reporters' questions. Fans booed and chanted "Hong out!" as he made his way out of the airport, but applauded the players who followed behind him. "Thanks for all your hard work!" one fan shouted as the players emerged, in stark contrast to the jeers aimed at Hong. Police cordoned off a route extending from inside the terminal to the waiting bus outside, as several dozen protesters gathered nearby. "South Korean football is dead," read one banner held aloft by fans who had waited for hours at Incheon International Airport. "Hong, you must quit," the crowd chanted, beating drums to amplify their protest. Hong's post-match admission that he was struggling to understand what had gone wrong did little to stem the criticism. And his Sunday resignation did little to satisfy Kim Gi-mo, who came to the airport to voice his frustration. "I question whether his resignation was sincere, given his attitude when he made the announcement," Kim told AFP. "He ruined this festival that only comes once every four years. I came here to see the person responsible for that." GOLDEN GENERATION Questions had already lingered over the Korea Football Association's 2024 decision to appoint Hong to be in charge, with critics arguing the selection process lacked transparency even before the World Cup campaign unravelled. The KFA did not organise an official welcome ceremony for the returning squad. It was not the first hostile reception for Hong. In 2014, angry supporters threw Korean sweets at the team after they returned from Brazil, where they were eliminated in the group stage during Hong's first spell as national team coach. South Korean media had labelled the 2026 squad a "golden generation", featuring internationally established players such as former Tottenham Hotspur captain Son, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in. Expectations were high, with many fans believing the team could reach the Round of 16, particularly as the tournament was widely expected to be Son's last World Cup. The captain turns 34 next month. But Hong's decision to leave Son on the bench in the first half for the decisive match against South Africa baffled and angered many supporters. "I was very shocked that he benched Son against South Africa," Song Min-kyung, a 20-year-old university student, told AFP at the airport. "I think that was the beginning of everything that went wrong at this World Cup."