Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Son Heung-min left out of South Korea’s 18-man squad
- Manager Kim Hak-bum does not include Tottenham Hotspur star forward in one of three overage players permitted
- Son ‘willing to play at the Olympics, but that willingness alone may not get the job done’, Kim said in May
South Korean Olympic team manager Kim Hak-bum named his squad for the Summer Games this afternoon, ending speculation on whether the full men’s national team captain would be in Tokyo.
Kim’s final 18-man squad is limited to three players over the age of 24, as per Olympic rules. Ordinarily the age limit is 23 but that has been extended a year because of the 12-month delay for the Tokyo Games.
The coach had confirmed in May that Son was one of 11 overage players included on South Korea’s 50-player longlist for the Summer Games, reiterating Son’s desire to play last month.
“[Son] is willing to play at the Olympics, but that willingness alone may not get the job done because European clubs tend to view their players as assets,” Kim said at a June media conference, as reported by Yonhap.