With several marquee players likely to be active at the 2026 World Cup, the question of longevity looms for many international stars. Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, is preparing for a sixth tournament, Lionel Messi will turn 39 shortly after Argentina’s second group match against Austria, and veterans such as Luka Modrić, Manuel Neuer and Edin Džeko are all in their 40s and expected to play prominent roles, according to the source.
That context frames a broader question about Son Heung-Min. Now 33, Son made his World Cup debut 12 years ago, in a South Korean side that picked up a single point from three matches in a group that included Belgium, Algeria and Russia — the national team’s worst World Cup showing since 1998, according to the source. At the time he wore No. 9, had a distinctive mop of hair and had already earned 25 caps after moving from Hamburg to Bayer Leverkusen.
Son’s next tournament, in 2018, came after a summer transfer to Tottenham Hotspur and consecutive seasons with double-digit Premier League goals. He finished those campaigns with a combined 39 goals in all competitions, according to the source. South Korea opened that World Cup with losses to Sweden and Mexico but stunned Germany 2-0 in the final group game, with Son racing half the pitch to tap into an empty net after Manuel Neuer had pushed forward. Son scored twice in three matches, captained the side in the Germany match in Ki Sung-Yueng’s absence, and emerged as South Korea’s principal attacker and leader, according to the source.
In 2022 Son arrived at the World Cup after a club season that saw him share the Premier League Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah, appear in a UEFA Champions League final and add to a résumé that included being part of Tottenham’s 2016-17 title-challenging side. At 30 he was described in the source as arguably at the peak of his powers, though his availability for the tournament was initially in doubt after multiple facial fractures sustained in November.
Given Son’s age and the examples of older players still active on the international stage, it is reasonable to expect his physical abilities may differ by 2026, and the source notes that this reality prompts the question of whether the North American tournament will be his final World Cup hurrah with South Korea.
