Son Heung-min, the captain of South Korea, has issued an emotional apology to the nation after the team’s disappointing World Cup exit, describing himself as “indescribably stuck and hurt” and vowing to win back the trust of supporters.
Son’s apology and call for unity
In a lengthy post on Instagram on Monday night, Son acknowledged the anger and disappointment felt by fans following South Korea’s group-stage elimination, a failure that drew harsh criticism from the country’s president and led to the resignation of head coach Hong Myung-bo. “I don’t dare to convey the disappointment and hurt of the fans with a single word ‘sorry,'” the Tottenham Hotspur forward wrote. “Even saying those words feels insufficient. The ‘child’s dream stage’ that I always talked about has collapsed. I’m indescribably stuck and hurt. To be honest, it’s still not easy to accept this reality.”
Son, who started on the bench during the defeat to South Africa and failed to score a goal at the tournament, said he felt a deep personal responsibility that he “couldn’t repay the time, heart, and constant support and love” given by supporters. In a clear signal that he will not retire from international football, the 33-year-old pledged: “I will do my best in my position again to win the hearts of the Korean people and football fans.” He also appealed to the public to “send warm support and encouragement rather than criticising and hurting all the players.”
Livramento undergoes surgery
England defender Tino Livramento has undergone a “minor surgical procedure” after a calf injury forced him to withdraw from the World Cup squad, his club Newcastle United confirmed on Tuesday. The full-back sustained the injury in the days before England’s opening match against Croatia and was replaced by Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah. A club statement read: “Newcastle United can confirm that Tino Livramento has successfully undergone a minor surgical procedure. The defender, who returned from World Cup duty with an injury, is expected to return during pre-season.” The 23-year-old had only just returned from a thigh injury that ended his 2025-26 season, making a substitute appearance in England’s friendly against New Zealand on 6 June. His persistent injury problems have reportedly cooled interest from Arsenal and Manchester City.
Goalkeeping agony and ecstasy
The penalty shootout between the Netherlands and Morocco produced contrasting fortunes for the two goalkeepers. Morocco’s Bono was widely praised for his match-winning save, described by one observer as “a genius move with cojones to spare” – noting that had he dived, the penalty would have been considered unsaveable. Analysis of the shootout showed Bono read Crysencio Summerville’s intentions perfectly to bat away a powerful strike. In stark contrast, Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen endured a nightmare moment, backheeling Soufiane Rahimi’s effort into his own net after making a fine initial save. The Netherlands’ Quinten Timber also contributed to the Dutch meltdown with what was described as a “classic ‘he never looked like he was going to score’ horror miss.”
Ecuador’s cult hero and German coaching uncertainty
Ecuador manager Sebastián Beccacece has emerged as a World Cup cult hero after his side’s shock win over Germany. His animated touchline antics – described as going “full Pat Cash” – have captured the joy and anxiety of his team’s supporters. Beccacece’s side now face a daunting assignment against host nation Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Jürgen Klopp – working as a pundit for German television during the tournament – has downplayed talk that he could replace Julian Nagelsmann as Germany head coach. Speaking on MagentaTV, Klopp said: “I haven’t thought about that yet. I understand that when people talk about the national coach, my name is mentioned. But it’s not the right moment to talk about it, especially not with me. I have a job that I really enjoy [as Red Bull’s head of global soccer] and, as far as I know, it’s not a part-time job.” Nagelsmann, whose contract with the German Football Association (DFB) runs until 2028, insisted he would not resign, saying: “I’m not one to run away. If the DFB wants me to continue then I’ll continue, and if they don’t want me to, then they can tell me that.” Under Nagelsmann, Germany have won 11 of 19 matches and are on a six-game unbeaten run, despite their early exit. The defeat to Paraguay was sealed in a penalty shootout, with a Jonathan Tah header ruled out by VAR in the closing stages of extra time – a type of goal that has become routine in the Premier League.
Germany’s elimination: a national trauma
The reaction to Germany’s elimination has been brutal, with the country’s leading media outlets unleashing ferocious condemnation. Bild’s front-page headline described the result as “The next German football nightmare,” while columnist Marion Horn launched a blistering attack on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had posted on X: “Even though the elimination hurts: What a game, @DFB_Team! With your commitment and team spirit at this World Cup, you have thrilled our country. We are proud of you.” Horn called the post a “disaster” and “devastating”, writing: “The brutal World Cup defeat against Paraguay, the coach, the attitude and the performance of the German players are symptomatic of the state of the entire country. We are at best second-class: Our economy is experiencing an unprecedented downward spiral in every respect, with bankruptcies and de-industrialisation on a daily basis. And German football is now living solely off its past reputation.” She claimed that within the team, according to 1990 World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthäus, “it was a more important issue whose mother was allowed to fly on the private jet and whose wasn’t, than how we would win the cup.” She added: “Our children only know Germany as a loser!”
Die Welt columnist Ulf Poschardt struck a similar tone in a piece headlined “Only a successful Germany is worth living in”: “Germany is once again eliminated early from the World Cup, and the Chancellor even congratulates this miserable team: ‘We are proud of you’. No, we are not. Quite the opposite.” Football news outlet Kicker described the result as “a damning indictment of German football – and Nagelsmann,” with chief reporter Oliver Hartmann writing: “The German national team, the biggest disappointment of the tournament so far, leaves the World Cup stage after the first knockout round. Julian Nagelsmann failed to harness and develop his team’s strengths.” In Süddeutsche Zeitung, a comment piece by Claudio Catuogno was headlined: “Someone should tell Julian Nagelsmann: This can’t go on.”
Round-up: England’s challenge, France’s firepower and more
England face the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Wednesday, a tie that has prompted a typically pessimistic response from one fan who wrote in to say: “England are going out to Congo DR – it’s plainly the year of the ‘underdog’. Wissa et al will have far more shots on goal than England.” The DRC’s World Cup journey has been a unifying force in a country deeply fractured by decades of conflict in the east. The Leopards’ progress has paused regional divisions, with celebrations erupting across the nation from Kinshasa to Goma. However, it was reported as a “disgrace” that the DRC’s most celebrated fan, known as “Lumumba Vea”, was denied a visa to attend the tournament. The squad includes Yoane Wissa, Cédric Bakambu and Axel Tuanzebe, who scored the crucial qualification goal after a play-off win against Jamaica.
France head coach Didier Deschamps, who returned to the squad after the death of his mother, has vowed to maintain the attacking approach that saw Les Bleus dominate the group stage. “We have a capacity for danger, and I want us to keep it,” he said ahead of the last-32 tie against Sweden. “We’ve been labelled as favourites before and that hasn’t gone away, but it’s back to square one now.” Sweden, managed by Graham Potter, progressed as one of the best third-placed teams. Key players include Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and Anthony Elanga, while defender Isak Hien is ruled out with injury. France’s Kylian Mbappé is closing in on Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup goal record.
In other tournament news, Japan were eliminated by Brazil after a defeat in the round of 32. Midfielder Daichi Kamada suggested that for Japan to win the World Cup, football must become the country’s number one sport, surpassing baseball. Coach Hajime Moriyasu insisted the team is closing the gap on elite nations, despite their fifth consecutive failure to win a knockout match.
Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo scored a goal against Morocco while grieving the loss of his unborn son, a tragedy announced by the player and his partner. Gakpo was tearful after his 72nd-minute strike, pointing to the sky and comforted by teammate Denzel Dumfries.
Celebrations in The Hague after Morocco’s victory turned violent, with riot police deploying water cannon and making around a dozen arrests. AFP reporters saw fans draped in Moroccan flags dancing and cheering before clashes broke out in the Schilderswijk district.
US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin openly celebrated Iran’s elimination from the World Cup, saying he did a “happy dance” and was “so glad they’re gone”. He defended restrictions that required the Iranian team to be based in Tijuana and leave the US immediately after each match, alleging that “almost half” of Iran’s proposed travelling party had ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In domestic managerial news, Liam Rosenior is set to take over at Paris FC, reportedly signing a two-year deal after a difficult spell at Chelsea. The club, which finished 11th in Ligue 1 last season – their first in the top flight for 46 years – has been waiting for Rosenior to finalise his backroom team, with the manager demanding a staff of six to eight people.
