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“I feel like a young boy again”: Son Heung-Min relishing fourth FIFA World Cup as South Korea eye strong start against Czechia
Guadalajara [Mexico], June 11 (ANI): South Korea captain Son Heung-Min said he still feels like “a young boy again" whenever he steps onto the FIFA World Cup stage, as the Asian side prepares to open its 2026 campaign against Czechia in Guadalajara on Thursday (Local Time), reported ESPN.
The 33-year-old forward, who will feature in his fourth World Cup, remains the cornerstone of the South Korean team and brings a wealth of experience with 144 international appearances to the tournament. He has scored 56 goals in international football. chickenroadslot.lat
Speaking ahead of the Group A clash at Estadio Guadalajara, Son admitted that the excitement of representing his country on football’s biggest stage has never faded.
“I’m very happy to be back on the World Cup pitch, which is something I dreamed of from a very young age," Son said, according to ESPN. “Whether it’s my first World Cup or fourth World Cup, I feel like a young boy again. This is the stage of dreams."
“It’s not something that can be expressed in one word. Whether it’s the first, fourth or sixth World Cup, our mindset must be the same when we participate in the World Cup," he added.
South Korea arrive in Mexico hoping to build on the lessons learned from previous World Cup campaigns. The Taegeuk Warriors reached the Round of 16 in Qatar 2022 but have struggled in recent tournament openers, failing to win their first match in each of the last three editions.
Reflecting on the team’s growth since Qatar, Son believes the current squad is better equipped to handle the challenges ahead.
“I think during [the last World Cup in] Qatar, we showed a lot of strength but also had losses and failures. I think those are lessons that we have learned from going forward," he said, as per ESPN.
“Of course, we are a little bit more mature and experienced. There are some changes [in personnel] but our mindset on the world stage is the same," South Korea skipper added.
The former Tottenham Hotspur star also praised the commitment within the squad, highlighting the determination of his teammates ahead of the opener.
“The atmosphere, right from the beginning now, is no problem at all. And whenever I see my teammates working so hard for the team, for Korea, sometimes I even have to calm them down," Son said.
“We’re very prepared, and I hope that we will get a good result tomorrow because I’m sure they [his teammates] deserve it," he added.
Despite the significance of the opening match, Son insisted his focus remains firmly on the present rather than dwelling on expectations.
“When it comes to the importance of the first match, I don’t live for tomorrow," he said. “Today is the most important day for me, and I need to develop myself. Today I will be focused on training."
“Tomorrow, I can think about tomorrow. Tomorrow, we will do our best," he concluded.
South Korea begin their World Cup journey against Czechia, seeking the positive start that has eluded them in recent tournaments and hoping their experienced captain can once again inspire them on football’s grandest stage. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
India lose to Eng by 5 runs in the warm-up match at the Sophia Garden
Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh marked a welcome return to her run-scoring best by hitting a blistering 68 off 36 balls and nearly pulled off a remarkable chase for India. But England held their nerve to secure a tense five‑run victory in the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up match at the Sophia Garden on Wednesday.
Before a rain break, India’s bowlers did well to keep a check on England’s scoring rate. But skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt found her rhythm by hitting 57, while wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones was in fine nick by top-scoring with 64. Danielle Gibson also smashed 30 not out off just 12 balls to take England past 170.
Chasing 172, India faltered early and never looked set to complete the chase. But Richa took charge to hit a sensational knock laced with nine fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 188.89 to almost single-handedly take India home.
But her fightback fell agonisingly short as she was stumped on the very next delivery off Linsey Smith, who took the final wicket to seal a thrilling victory for England by bowling out India for 166. While England now turn their attention to the tournament opener against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on June 12, India will take on Pakistan at the same venue on June 14.
India’s chase began with Shafali Verma’s brief cameo of 13, brought to a halt when Issy Wong hit her off-stump, while Smriti Mandhana fell cheaply to Linsey Smith. England’s disciplined attack, led by Smith and Tilly Corteen‑Coleman, kept India under pressure as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (17) and Yastika Bhatia (15) also departed without making significant contributions.
Bharti Fulmali (18) and Radha Yadav (16) tried to steady the innings, but wickets at regular intervals left India reeling. With Charlie Dean’s double strike, including Shreyanka Patil and Kranti Gaud, India’s chase was dented further. Amidst all this, Richa launched a stunning counterattack with her trademark audacious strokeplay, especially when Issy Wong and Lauren Filer faltered in their lines and lengths.
Her 33‑run stand with Radha off just 19 balls revived India’s hopes, and she continued to find boundaries even as partners fell around her. With India needing 17 off the final over, Richa smashed a four and a six off Smith to reduce the equation to a gettable six runs from three balls. But her dismissal – stumped by Alice Capsey off Linsey meant the result went in England’s favour.
Earlier, Amy gave England a fantastic start to set a solid foundation for England’s competitive total, before Nat took charge with a brilliant knock to power the side’s scoring rate through the middle overs, as the duo hit eight boundaries each.
The real fireworks came late in the innings from Danielle, who hit four boundaries and England’s lone six in the innings. For India, Shreyanka Patil was the pick of the bowlers by taking two scalps, though they will be worried with 43 runs conceded in the last three overs.
Brief Scores:
England 171/6 in 20 overs (Amy Jones 64, Nat Sciver-Brunt 57; Shreyanka Patil 2-29, Shafali Verma 1-18) beat India 166 all out in 19.5 overs (Richa Ghosh 68, Harmanpreet Kaur 17; Linsey Smith 3-42, Danielle Gibson 2-17) by five runs
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Vaughan Throws Support Behind Embattled Ben Stokes
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has opposed the idea of sacking Ben Stokes as Test captain following the nightclub incident. Two days ago, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued a media release stating that it would investigate a late-night nightclub incident involving Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson.
Since then, reports in the British media have suggested that Stokes is considering retirement from international cricket or that the ECB could remove him as captain. Vaughan, however, is not in favour of such action against the talismanic all-rounder.
“Yes, Ben Stokes broke a curfew. Yes, he made a mistake. But is that a sackable offence as England’s Test captain? I don’t think so,” Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph. “The ECB has to be brave enough and strong enough to do what it thinks is right. If that is to sack him, then fine, but I do not agree with that decision on this issue.”
Last year, a similar nightclub incident involved white-ball captain Barry Brook, who received a warning and was fined.
Vaughan cited Brook’s example to explain why sacking Stokes would be too harsh.
“They hit Brook with a fine, not a suspension. A fine is nothing to these lads. So when those at the highest level of management allow the team to get away with quite a lot, do not be surprised if it happens again,” he wrote.
Both Stokes and Atkinson were dropped from the squad for the second home Test against New Zealand at The Oval. In the absence of Stokes, Joe Root will serve as interim captain.
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“Nobody benefits from divisive and polarising narratives”: UN Rights Chief urges rethink of US immigration policies ahead of FIFA World Cup
New York [US], June 11 (ANI): United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called for a “massive rethink" of United States immigration and security policies ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, warning that reports of visa denials, heightened screening and alleged racial profiling risk overshadowing the global showpiece.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Turk said the tournament, which kicks off on Thursday across the United States, Canada and Mexico, should provide a welcoming environment for players, officials and supporters from around the world.
“Mega sporting events are meant to be events where the world comes together in unity and in peace," Turk said.
“The tradition [in ancient Greece] was that this should also lead to all kinds of truces. It’s clear that the World Cup needs to provide a dignified and safe environment for the teams that compete, but also for the supporters, for the whole society and frankly for the world," he added.
His comments come amid growing concerns over entry restrictions and security measures affecting participants and fans travelling to the tournament.
Among reported incidents related to US entry, Iran’s national team moved its training camp from Arizona to Mexico, with some Iranian officials denied visas. A FIFA-accredited Somali referee, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, was also refused entry into the United States over reported “vetting concerns".
Images circulating on social media have further drawn attention to the issue, showing a Senegalese player being frisked by security personnel on a US airport tarmac. Fans from countries including Morocco and Scotland have also reported travel documents being denied or revoked shortly before departure despite having made travel arrangements.
Turk said such cases reflected wider concerns surrounding immigration enforcement and called for policies that uphold human rights and human dignity.
The UN rights chief also urged an end to divisive rhetoric targeting vulnerable communities.
“I also hope that the dehumanisation of the other, the dehumanisation of migrants, the dehumanisation of refugees and asylum seekers is put to an end," he said.
“Nobody benefits from divisive and polarising narratives," he added.
The concerns come as scrutiny intensifies over the responsibilities of host nations staging major international sporting events and ensuring equal treatment for all participants.
Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said his administration was working to ensure that entry to the United States for the World Cup would be granted to “the right people."
The Trump administration had said on Tuesday that it denied entry to Somali referee Artan for the tournament due to alleged links to suspected members of terror organisations.
Last week, Iran accused the United States of denying visas to a significant number of officials and support staff connected to its national team ahead of the World Cup, further raising concerns over access and participation just days before the competition begins. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)