Statement posted on Korea Football Association's official social media

Players from '92-line' and '96-line' set aside discord rumors

'We will work together to set a good example'

Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae of the South Korean national football team train at Qatar University's training ground in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday (local time), ahead of a friendly match against Saudi Arabia. [Yonhap]
Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae of the South Korean national football team train at Qatar University's training ground in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday (local time), ahead of a friendly match against Saudi Arabia. [Yonhap]

Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) of the so-called "92-line," along with Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke), Hwang In-beom (Porto) and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) of the "96-line," issued a joint statement Thursday, pushing back against rumors of a rift within the South Korean national team.

The five players apologized for causing unnecessary controversy and pledged to repay the public's support with better results and performances on the pitch.

The Korea Football Association posted the joint statement on its official social media accounts Thursday, after all 26 players called up for the team's friendly matches had gathered in Doha, Qatar, and completed training.

Son Heung-min and other members of the South Korean national football team train at Qatar University's training ground in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday (local time), ahead of a friendly match against Saudi Arabia. [Yonhap]
Son Heung-min and other members of the South Korean national football team train at Qatar University's training ground in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday (local time), ahead of a friendly match against Saudi Arabia. [Yonhap]

"By listening to and explaining things we had not been able to fully discuss before, we were able to better understand each other's positions," the five players said in the statement. "We will respect and trust each other's roles and responsibilities, and work together to set a good example for the younger players who will write the next chapter of Korean football."

The national team, led by head coach Roberto Moreno, is set to face Saudi Arabia in a friendly on Friday (Korean Standard Time).

The following is the full text of the statement:

To the fans who love Korean football,

We are deeply sorry for the concern caused by recent reports about the national team. During this call-up, we gathered together and honestly shared our thoughts about the team. By listening to and explaining things we had not been able to fully discuss before, we were able to better understand each other's positions.

Above all, we reaffirmed that we all feel the same way: that Korean football, which has stalled somewhat, must continue to grow, and that we must repay your support with performances and results worthy of the team's history and standing.

That feeling was the same before, and it has not changed.

Despite having just come off a long flight, we had a lengthy conversation in which we shared, without reservation, our individual thoughts on the team's preparation and operations. The regret and disappointment we felt after letting you down at the last World Cup still stays with all of us, and the starting point of our discussions was what needs to change so that we do not repeat the same mistakes.

We want to make one thing clear: what drove us was not personal conflict with any individual player or a clash of interests over any particular issue, but a shared sense of purpose — that the national team must improve.

It is also entirely untrue that anyone sought to use retirement as leverage to push through specific demands.

The reason we did not respond to each report individually was that we believed issues concerning the national team should first be discussed and resolved internally. There was much that was reported inaccurately, but we felt that making separate statements without sufficient dialogue — at a time when we are each based at different clubs and rarely able to meet in person — would only create further misunderstanding. Above all, we did not want the original intent of our discussions, which began out of a genuine desire to see the team improve, to be obscured as unverified rumors spread and the situation came to be seen as conflict among players.

We now intend to put the unnecessary controversy behind us and focus on the team we will build together going forward. We have played together for Korean football for a long time, and we remain teammates working toward the same goal.

We will respect and trust each other's roles and responsibilities, and work together to set a good example for the younger players who will write the next chapter of Korean football. We will use the time between now and the next Asian Cup to prepare more thoroughly, and communicate more closely with the association to ensure that the regrets and disappointments of the last tournament are not repeated.

We know that what you expect from us is not explanations, but sincerity and strong performances on the pitch. In this friendly as well, we will give everything as one, and repay your encouragement and support with performances and an attitude worthy of Korean football's history and standing.

Thank you. Son Heung-min, Lee Jae-sung, Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, Hwang Hee-chan


jshan@heraldcorp.com