MANCHESTER, England: When Son Heung-min went down clutching his face in a recent Champions League match, the pain was not confined to the Tottenham striker’s fractured eye socket.
The shockwaves were felt all the way back in his homeland of South Korea, where the nation collectively feared the worst ahead of the World Cup.
Son is his country’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo wrapped up into one. He is an immense source of national pride — having established himself as one of the leading soccer players in the world — and the greatest hope of success going into Qatar.
His injury in the match against Marseille was big news back home, with one publication describing it as “Korea’s big emergency.”
Tottenham later confirmed Son would require surgery, but no timeframe has been placed on his recovery. If he is to play any part in the World Cup, which starts on Nov. 20, it seems certain he will require a protective mask.
It’s a cruel blow for a player who, at the age of 30, is at his peak going into the tournament.
Last season, Son shared the Premier League’s Golden Boot with Liverpool forward Mo Salah as the leading scorers. He has not been as prolific this season, but there have still been highlights, including a hat trick against Leicester in September and two goals against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Qatar was an opportunity for him to reach new heights.
Son is a player who is constantly setting new benchmarks — dating back to when he first headed to Europe to join Hamburg’s academy in Germany in 2008. Marcell Jansen is now the club’s president, but back then he was a teammate and watched the forward’s early steps.
“I was immediately impressed by his mentality and attitude,” Jansen told The Associated Press. “He would always work extra shifts with his father and therefore trained twice as much as everyone else did.”
There is a common theme when people talk about Son’s qualities. His strength of character and determination are often mentioned, but his game-changing talent is what has seen him establish himself as one of the best forward in the sport.
His supreme balance, two-footedness, pace and finishing make him a complete attacking force that has complimented Harry Kane so effectively at Tottenham.
“I’ve rarely seen a player who shoots as well with his left foot as with his right, unbelievable,” Jansen said.
Jonas Boldt has made a career out of unearthing talent as a scout and sporting director for Bayer Leverkusen and now head of sport at Hamburg. He was at Leverkusen when the club signed Son from Hamburg for $8.7 million in 2013. At that point, the secret was out about the players’ talent in Germany, if not further afield.
“In terms of play, his strengths definitely lie in his short, quick movements and his finishing strength. These skills set him apart,” Boldt told the AP. “He was a talented footballer, without question. But his excellent mentality and his iron will are the attributes that made him even better at every level and made him this top player.
“Heung-min is a player who has proven himself time and again at a higher level and adapted. On top of that, with Tottenham he moved to a club that had a clear idea with him and a coach (Mauricio Pochettino) who didn’t pack him in cotton wool, but challenged him a lot. And here again Heung-min’s great character came into play.”
Son’s father, Woong-jung, is a former professional soccer player and has been a guiding force in his career. He would watch his son at training sessions when he moved to Germany.
While the elder Son has been instrumental, so, it seems, was his grounding in the German league, which has established itself as a rich developer of talent — most recently in the form of Erling Haaland at Borussia Dortmund before the Norwegian’s transfer to Manchester City.
Back in South Korea, Son’s celebrity is such that his endorsements range from banking to razors to instant noodles and cars. Every Tottenham game is screened live and an image of his face appears in the top corner to enable viewers to quickly determine if he is playing or not.
But that level of fame has not been replicated in England, despite Son being one of the Premier League’s top players.
“For me, it’s perfectly clear: Heung-min is not a player who constantly seeks the limelight and attention,” Brandt said. “If you look at the award ceremonies nowadays, such as the Golden Boot, the players’ self-marketing comes into play and plays a role. Maybe Heung-min doesn’t attach that much importance to it, seems a bit more shy.”
South Korean fans will be desperate to see that image of Son’s face in the corner of their television screens during the World Cup. But even if injury means he is unable to produce his best in Qatar, Jansen is convinced there is much more to come from him.
“The World Cup is a great stage for Sonny to represent himself and his country,” Jansen said. “But regardless of the World Cup, I’m sure that Sonny will have a career as long as Messi or Ronaldo because he’s such an incredibly fit player who lives for the sport.
“I expect him to go down in history as one of the greatest footballers from his country.”
South Korea striker Son is Messi and Ronaldo rolled into one
https://arab.news/5z6ad
South Korea striker Son is Messi and Ronaldo rolled into one
- Son is his country’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo wrapped up into one
- If he is to play any part in the World Cup, which starts on Nov. 20, it seems certain he will require a protective mask
FIA president denies personally ordering recent firings of 3 F1 race stewards
- Mohammed Ben Sulayem was emphatic in that he did not order any dismissals and added the FIA has no responsibility to discuss pending personnel changes with teams and drivers
- George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, said all the turnover can be destabilizing to F1
NEW YORK: The president of Formula 1’s governing body denied ordering a recent wave of staff dismissals — including the removal of the race director with three events remaining in the season — amidst mounting criticism from drivers over a lack of transparency by the FIA.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday by telephone during the Qatar Grand Prix and insisted he had not personally ordered the recent dismissals of three race stewards.
“How many times have people who have lost their jobs or positions in companies, when they left, they attacked and blamed?” Ben Sulayem said. “We have nearly 300 (stewards) working for us, so what do I do? I have two choices: I empower the heads of the departments, sit with them and then judge them at the end of the year.”
Niels Wittich, who had been race director since 2022, was surprisingly let go ahead of last week’s race in Las Vegas. The drivers were stunned that the top rule-enforcer during F1 events would be removed with only three races remaining in the season.
Then there were two more dismissals ahead of this weekend’s race in Qatar as race steward Tim Mayer said he was fired by text message, and the FIA said Janette Tan, who was elevated to race director for Formula 2, had left the organization. Tan had just been promoted to the position to replace Rui Marques, who was elevated into Wittich’s position.
The drivers have complained about a lack of consistency from the race stewards for much of the season and have been vocal in their displeasure on a sudden crackdown on cursing. So when they arrived in Qatar to learn two more stewards had been fired, they were perplexed.
George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, said all the turnover can be destabilizing to F1.
“That’s very challenging for any team and it must be super challenging for everyone within the FIA right now,” Russell said earlier this week. “So we’d love to get a little bit of clarity and understanding of what’s going on and who’s getting fired next.”
Speaking to reporters in Qatar earlier Sunday, Ben Sulayem seemed defiant in saying it was “none of their business” how he runs things. He was emphatic in that he did not order any dismissals and added the FIA has no responsibility to discuss pending personnel changes with teams and drivers.
“Do the teams and drivers come and tell us when they are making changes? No,” he said.
Earlier this month, the GPDA created an Instagram account solely to publish a statement that urged the FIA to treat drivers like adults. It also asked for Ben Sulayem to consider “his own tone and language” following efforts during his tenure to enforce rules against swearing and jewelry more strictly.
“Just when we’ve asked for a bit of transparency and consistency we’re getting rid of two highly important people in the governing body, so it’s kind of gone in a full 360,” Russell said. “We still don’t have any reasoning for Niels’ removal.”
Ben Sulayem did not give specific reasons for any of the departures, and insisted the “single-seater divisions” made the decisions to replace stewards.
He also said the stewards are tasked with enforcing the rulebook, which was not written by Ben Sulayem. He inherited the rulebook and asked for an enforcement on some things that were being overlooked — such as the cursing, which is prohibited in the code of conduct.
“I did not write the rules and I do not implement them. The rules were before me, some of the rules from 1972,” Ben Sulayem said. “We are setting a clean sport here. We are not saying to them ‘the rule is do not (curse) anytime.’ We are just saying ‘don’t do it when you are at an FIA (news conference).’ We have young people, the age of 5, watching. And even on TV or movies, they always tell you in advance what you will see and that is what this sport has — discipline and respect.”
Mbappe and Bellingham respond to unhappy fans with goals in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe
- Mbappe was still far from his best, and he did not take the penalty kick which was converted by Bellingham
- Athletic Bilbao rallied to win 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano with a pair of second-half goals by Oihan Sancet, while Athletic’s Basque rival Real Sociedad defeated Real Betis 2-0 at home
MADRID: Kylian Mbappe made some peace with Real Madrid’s fans.
Mbappe scored in Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe in the Spanish league on Sunday to help ease the pressure on the France star.
Mbappe, who has been criticized by some supporters because of his disappointing performances since joining the Spanish powerhouse this season, found the net in the 38th minute to seal Madrid’s victory at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Mbappe was coming off a lackluster outing — which included a missed penalty kick — against Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Jude Bellingham, also the target of some fans’ criticism for recent poor play, had put Madrid ahead at the Bernabeu by converting a 30th-minute penalty. He also assisted in Mbappe’s goal — a well-placed low shot from outside the area.
Mbappe had scored only once in the team’s last six matches across all competitions, and twice in the last nine games.
“He played very well, was active and was as dangerous as always,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “He scored and created opportunities. He was very active, it’s what we want from him.”
Mbappe was still far from his best, and he did not take the penalty kick which was converted by Bellingham. Another penalty — which was overturned by VAR — was also set to be taken by Rodrygo.
“The order for the penalties is Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, but without Vinicius, it was up to Bellingham and Mbappe to choose,” Ancelotti said.
The win moved Madrid within a point of league leader Barcelona, who lost 2-1 to Las Palmas on Saturday. Madrid, the defending champions, have a game in hand.
Madrid were one point ahead of city rivals Atletico Madrid, who won 5-0 at Valladolid on Saturday.
Madrid have lost three of their five Champions League matches but have won three straight in the league to cut into Barcelona’s lead. The Catalan club is winless in three consecutive league games.
“Things have been going well in La Liga since the last defeat, but we can’t get sidetracked because this is what Real Madrid demands,” Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger said. “We must continue and do better in the Champions League.”
Also Sunday, Villarreal drew 2-2 with visiting Girona after leading 2-0 and eventually conceding an equalizer seven minutes into stoppage time.
Athletic Bilbao rallied to win 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano with a pair of second-half goals by Oihan Sancet, while Athletic’s Basque rival Real Sociedad defeated Real Betis 2-0 at home.
Liverpool pile on misery for Man City, Man Utd boss Amorim earns first Premier League win
- City have lost four successive top-flight games for first time since 2008
- First Premier League champions to endure such dismal run season after claiming title
LONDON: Liverpool piled on the misery for Manchester City as the Premier League leaders beat the troubled champions 2-0 at Anfield, while Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim earned his first league win with a 4-0 rout of Everton on Sunday.
Arne Slot’s side moved nine points clear of second-placed Arsenal after Cody Gakpo’s first-half opener and Mohamed Salah’s late penalty dealt another blow to reeling City, who are languishing 11 points behind Liverpool in fifth place.
City have lost four successive top-flight games for the first time since 2008, making them the first Premier League champions to endure such a dismal run the season after claiming the title.
City have clawed back significant deficits to win the Premier League in the Guardiola era, but they have never managed to lift the title after being behind by more than 10 points.
City’s seven-game winless run ranks as boss Pep Guardiola’s longest barren streak in his glittering managerial career.
Just weeks after he signed a new two-year contract, Liverpool fans taunted Guardiola with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” prompting a defiant response from the Spaniard, who held up six fingers to illustrate the number of titles he has won with City.
“The first 20 minutes Liverpool were unstoppable. We tried to play with a lot of control and passes, but it was difficult to take it,” Guardiola said.
“We’ll reset and start from zero. It is difficult to believe it. I rely a lot on these players. We’ll see what happens by the end of the season.”
Liverpool have won 18 of their 20 games in all competitions since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the close-season.
With 11 victories from their 13 Premier League matches, Liverpool are firm favorites to win the title for the first time since 2020.
“We came close to perfection. That’s the only way to beat a quality team like City,” Slot said.
“We have to stay sharp. I don’t think anyone, including me, would have predicted this — to win so much with all the difficult teams we have played already.”
City’s defense was in disarray right from the start and when Salah curled a 12th minute shot toward the far post, Gakpo pounced to poke home from virtually on the line.
Salah’s 78th-minute penalty, awarded for keeper Stefan Ortega’s foul on Luis Diaz, was a dagger in the heart of City’s title hopes.
Amorim stole the spotlight in Sunday’s early games by extending his unbeaten start with United to three matches.
United were held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich in his first Premier League game last Sunday, before the Portuguese boss earned his maiden win with United in a 3-2 success against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday.
The 39-year-old, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, has warned United would “suffer for a long period” before they can expect to challenge for the title.
This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at ninth-placed United.
Marcus Rashford’s 34th-minute drive from the edge of the area took a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite before flashing into the net.
United struck again seven minutes later as Branthwaite lost possession to Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes teed up Joshua Zirkzee to convert with ease.
Rashford underlined United’s superiority just 20 seconds after the interval as he applied a cool finish to Diallo’s incisive pass, before Zirkee struck again in the 64th minute with a composed strike.
“The result was good but we were pragmatic. It was not pretty,” Amorim said. “It is a rollercoaster. We have some moments when we are good but then we have moments when we have to suffer.”
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six games with a 3-0 win against Aston Villa, whose dismal winless streak reached eight matches.
Enzo Maresca’s men look capable of securing Champions League qualification after a third successive win in the space of eight days moved them level on points with second-placed Arsenal.
Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez scored in the first half before Cole Palmer struck in the closing stages.
Seventh-placed Tottenham’s top-four hopes were dented by a 1-1 draw against 10-man Fulham.
Brennan Johnson slotted Tottenham into the lead from Timo Werner’s 54th-minute pass, but Tom Cairney curled Fulham’s equalizer into the far corner after 67 minutes.
Cairney was sent off with seven minutes left after his foul on Dejan Kulusevski was upgraded from referee Darren Bond’s initial yellow card to a red after VAR intervened.
Trailer released for Usyk-Fury heavyweight rematch in Saudi Arabia
- Countdown to fight officially underway
RIYADH: The countdown to December’s hotly anticipated heavyweight rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury is officially underway following the release of a new cinematic trailer titled “The Obsession.”
Unveiled on Sunday by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, the promo film sets the tone for the “Reignited” bout scheduled for Dec. 21 at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena as part of Riyadh Season.
The clip is set to Kylie Minogue’s smash hit “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and showcases surreal moments as the rival heavyweights imagine each other everywhere during their daily lives.
From Fury seeing his family transformed into Usyk lookalikes to Usyk envisioning Fury on a sausage — a nod to Fury’s trademark taunts — the promo highlights the fighters’ lighthearted but intense rivalry.
Their rematch follows their electrifying first bout in May, in which Usyk made history as the 21st century’s first undisputed heavyweight champion.
The clip was developed by BigTime Creative Shop in collaboration with the award-winning French collective Megaforce and Riff Raff Films.
Amorim earns 1st Premier League win, Chelsea climb to 3rd place
- This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at United as they recovered from a slow start to dispatch lowly Everton
LONDON: Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim earned his first Premier League win with a 4-0 rout of Everton.
Chelsea climbed to third place with a 3-0 win against spluttering Aston Villa.
United were held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich in his first Premier League game last Sunday, before the Portuguese boss earned his maiden win with United in a 3-2 success against Bodo/Glimt at Old Trafford in the Europa League on Thursday.
The 39-year-old, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, has warned United would “suffer for a long period” before they can expect to challenge for the title.
This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at United as they recovered from a slow start to dispatch lowly Everton.
United fans had gathered on the Old Trafford forecourt before kick-off to protest the clubs’ decision to increase ticket prices, displaying a banner with the slogan “Stop Exploiting Loyalty.”
If ninth-placed United are to justify those increases, they need a winning team and Amorim is taking steps in the right direction.
Marcus Rashford had scored the first goal of Amorim’s reign after just two minutes at Ipswich and he was on target again in the 34th minute against Everton.
Rashford’s drive from the edge of the area took a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite before flashing into the net.
United struck again seven minutes later as Amorim’s decision to select Zirkzee to lead the attack instead of Rasmus Hojlund.
Branthwaite lost possession to Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes teed up Joshua Zirkzee to convert with ease.
The much-maligned Netherlands striker’s second goal since his close-season move from Bologna ended a 17-game drought dating back to August.
Rashford underlined United’s superiority just 20 seconds after the interval as he applied a cool finish to Diallo’s incisive pass for his seventh goal this season.
Zirkee struck again in the 64th minute with a composed strike from the influential Diallo’s assist after shambolic Everton defending.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six games as Villa’s dismal winless streak reached eight matches.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insisted this week that his young team are not title contenders in the first season of his rebuilding job.
But they look capable of at least securing Champions League qualification after a third successive win in the space of eight days moved them level on points with second-placed Arsenal.
The famous Champions League victory over Bayern Munich in October feels like a distant memory for 12th placed Villa, who have won only once in the Premier League since then.
Nicolas Jackson put Chelsea in front after just seven minutes with his eighth goal this season.
The Senegal striker met Marc Cucurella’s cross with a volley from eight yards that beat Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez via the near post.
Villa appealed in vain for a foul by Cucurella on Jaden Philogene in the build-up to the goal.
Enzo Fernandez added to Villa’s frustration in the 36th minute as the midfielder took a clever touch before firing home from 12 yards.
Cole Palmer grabbed his eighth goal this season with a superb finish from the edge of the area in the 83rd minute.
Seventh-placed Tottenham’s top four hopes were dented by a 1-1 draw against 10-man Fulham.
Brennan Johnson slotted Tottenham into the lead from Timo Werner’s 54th minute pass, but Tom Cairney curled Fulham’s equalizer into the far corner after 67 minutes.
Cairney was sent off with seven minutes left after his foul on Dejan Kulusevski was upgraded from referee Darren Bond’s initial yellow card to a red after VAR intervened.
