 |
| 스포츠조선 DB |
|
 |
| ReutersYonhap News |
|
How did Son Heung-min predict this situation. Conditions have emerged that could be the best variable for the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, confirmed its advance to the World Cup finals and began preparing for the World Cup in earnest from the A match in September. Coach Hong Myung-bo began experimenting with the U.S. and Mexico with his formidable power. He devised a clear strategy to record effective hits against strong teams in the World Cup finals, including Son Heung-min's one-top tactic and three-back centered on Kim Min-jae, and applied it to the loss.
The experiment was successful. He accepted a report card of one win and one draw in two consecutive away games in the U.S. There is still a lot of work left to say 100%, but he completed the first step of the preparation process safely and announced a pleasant start.
 |
| 스포츠조선 DB |
|
However, there are still several variables in the journey to North Korea, Central and South America. Among them, the biggest variable is expected to be weather. Argentina's TyC Sports said 'Several stadiums in North America faced great danger due to extreme temperatures', and a new report set off alarm bells ahead of the 2026 North American World Cup. Of the 16 stadiums used for the World Cup, 10 exceeded the heat safety standards. This poses a serious challenge to the World Cup. According to the data, Houston Stadium, one of the stadiums, has 51 days of no-game due to fever during the year. The calculation is based on the WBGT index, which measures thermal stresses above 35 degrees. Forecasts by 2050 are more concerning. It is expected to have to adapt to extreme heat in 90% of situations,' it said.
Concerns about the weather have already been confirmed by head coach Hong Myung-bo once by visiting the sites of Ulsan HD and other teams participating in the Club World Cup. The Club World Cup was a prelude to several clubs already suffering from bad weather. An unexpected incident occurred in which the game was suspended several times. Ulsan was only able to play after 65 minutes after withdrawing from the first Group F match against Mamelody Sundowns (South Africa) due to lightning forecasts at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
 |
| ReutersYonhap News |
|
 |
| ReutersYonhap News |
|
According to U.S. safety regulations, the race must be postponed for 30 minutes when lightning strikes are forecast within 8 miles (13 kilometers). If there is no lightning strike for half an hour, the game will resume. After waiting for 30 minutes, if another lightning strike occurs, you have to wait another 30 minutes. In addition to lightning strikes, heavy rain and storms are also variables.
Another big problem is the heat wave. Heatwaves are a big problem, especially covering all of the United States. It harasses players as a common denominator, regardless of whether it is east or west. Considering that the World Cup is held in summer and can be played during the day, the brutal maximum temperature in North and Central America can be a huge variable for players. The same goes for fans of the stadium. Chelsea manager Enzo Marresta, a famous European coach, also said during the Club World Cup that it was "not easy because of the high temperatures".
However, there is a player who is adapting to this weather in advance. It is South Korea's captain Son Heung-min. Son Heung-min, who played his first game for LA FC in the U.S. in August, is adjusting to the hot weather in the U.S. In addition, they are becoming accustomed to various variables in the U.S. during their schedules to and from the east and west. The know-how that the leader of the national team has adapted to the field in advance and grasped can be a great help in the future World Cup finals. In the face of the huge variable of weather, Hong Myung-bo's adaptation and advancement will also be led by Son Heung-min.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
