Bento additionally chosen Napoli defender Kim Min-jae and Mallorca attacking midfielder Lee Kang-in however not noted speedy Ulsan Hyundai winger Um Won-sang when he named his 26-player roster Saturday for the event in Qatar.

Son, who has scored 35 targets in 104 internationals, hasn’t performed since Nov. 2 when he sustained a fracture round his left eye following a collision with Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba whereas taking part in for Tottenham within the UEFA Champions League.

While recovering from surgical procedure, Son mentioned this week that he expects to play in Qatar with a protecting masks, reassuring followers on Instagram that he wouldn’t “miss this for the world.”

But there are issues whether or not he would have the ability to show one thing near his prime type following the injury-related layoff, after Bento spent years rigorously constructing his offense round Son’s pace, two-footed capturing reflexes and dead-ball accuracy.

At a media convention in Seoul, Bento mentioned it stays unclear when Son would have the ability to resume coaching with the nationwide workforce, saying his situation was being analyzed day-by-day.

Separate from the 26 gamers formally on his roster, Bento can be taking Suwon Samsung ahead Oh Hyeon-gyu as an emergency reserve who might step in if Son or different injured gamers aren’t match sufficient to play.

“The most important (thing) is he recovers as well as possible, feels comfortable,” Bento mentioned of Son.

Son gained the Premier League’s Golden Boot final season after sharing the scoring lead in English soccer’s prime flight, strengthening his case because the nation’s biggest participant ever.

Before Son’s damage, some analysts had thought of Bento’s squad because the strongest workforce South Korea has ever assembled, a minimum of on paper, with Son being supported by a number of gamers of their 20s and 30s getting common minutes in European soccer.

Still, even when Son is wholesome, South Korea is seen as an outsider to get out of Group H, which accommodates Uruguay, Portugal and Ghana.

Son isn’t the one injured participant on Bento’s roster. Kim Jin-su, who has been Bento’s first selection at left fullback, is coping with a hamstring damage. Kim’s health is essential as Bento depends closely on his fullbacks to supply width to the assault, though the area they depart behind has created defensive issues South Korea has struggled to repair.

Qatar marks South Korea’s eleventh look on the World Cup and its tenth straight. The nation has reached the knockout rounds solely twice — making the semifinals at house in 2002, and the final 16 within the 2010 event in South Africa.

South Korea breezed via Asian qualifying however has seemed underwhelming in current friendlies, together with Friday’s laborious 1-0 win over Iceland at house. That match got here at the price of defender Park Ji-su, who sustained an ankle damage that left him out of the World Cup squad.

With Son recovering from an damage, the strain is on different attackers reminiscent of Wolverhampton winger Hwang Hee-chan and Jeonbuk Hyundai ahead Cho Gue-sung Hwang Ui-jo to step up.

Despite the workforce’s defensive issues, Bento a minimum of has a stable middle again pairing in veteran Kim Young-gwon and Napoli star Kim Min-jae, who brings a uncommon mixture of measurement, pace and energy to the workforce.

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South Korea

Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Al Shabab), Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan Hyundai), Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

Defenders: Kim Min-jae (Napoli), Kim Young-gwon (Ulsan Hyundai), Kwon Kyung-won (Gamba Osaka), Cho Yu-min (Daejeon HanaCitizen), Kim Moon-hwan (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) ,Yoon Jong-gyu (FC Seoul), Kim Tae-hwan (Ulsan Hyundai), Kim Jin-su (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) ,Hong Chul (Daegu FC)

Midfielders: Jung Woo-young (Al Sadd), Son Jun-ho (Shandong Taishan), Paik Seung-ho (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Hwang In-beom (Olympiacos), Lee Jae-sung (1.FSV Mainz), Kwon Chang-hoon (Gimcheon Sangmu), Jeong Woo-yeong (SC Freiburg), Lee Kang-in (Mallorca), Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhamton), Na Sang-ho (FC Seoul), Song Min-kyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

Forwards: Hwang Ui-jo (Olympiacos), Cho Gue-sung (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)