As World Cup Injuries Mount Up, Teams Must Cope Without Their Stars

As Son Heung-Min was slowly helped to his feet, his country feared the worst.

The Tottenham Hotspur forward had collided with Marseille defender Chancel Mbemba in an aerial duel and looked groggy as he left the field. Nearly 6,000 miles away, concerned headlines were already being created.

“Son’s injury news was a huge shock for Korean fans, actually not just for the football fans but the entire country. The news broke at 5am Korean time and the whole day the country was talking about it,” Sungmo Lee, a South Korean soccer journalist, tells me.

“Son is the best player for South Korea, the captain of the team and a spiritual leader as well. To lose Son two weeks ahead of the World Cup is not imaginable for Korea and it will destroy Korea’s world cup plan.”

As it turns out, Son, who underwent surgery after suffering a fracture around his left eye, is set to play a part in South Korea’s campaign.

“Playing for your country at the World Cup is the dream of so many children growing up, just as it was one of mine too. I won’t miss this for the world,” Son wrote on Instagram.

Whether he will play every match or be fully fit – Son will likely wear a mask to protect his face – is another matter. South Korea begins its tournament on November 24, against Uruguay.

Son is not the only player facing a race to be fit for the finals in Qatar, which begin on November 20.

Senegal is sweating on the fitness of its own talismanic attacker, Sadio Mané. Like Son, the Liverpool player is the undoubted star of his national team.

Belgium will give Romelu Lukaku, the spearhead of its attack, as long as possible to prove his fitness. Lukaku is Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer and has played in two World Cups, helping Belgium to third place in 2018. He will be desperate to play as the “golden generation”, including the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, seeks the country’s first World Cup trophy.

Reigning champion France must do without Paul Pogba, who scored the 2018 World Cup final, and his industrious midfield partner N’Golo Kante. Argentina cannot call on Paulo Dybala and Portugal has lost Diogo Jota. Harry Kane, the England captain, is not injured but “really, really tired”.

There are, of course, always injured players who miss out on a World Cup. It is just one of the reasons some of the world’s best players may never play on international soccer’s biggest stage.

That won’t be any comfort to those teams who cannot call on their stars. The impact will, naturally, be greater for those teams with shallower squads. Argentina still has a host of attacking talent (Lionel Messi, for one) even without Dybala. France can still name an impressive starting 11 without Pogba and Kante. Portugal will miss Jota but still has a solid spine from defence to attack.

Senegal and South Korea are more reliant on Mané and Son respectively. Their absence could mean a tactical tweak or more substantial change of plan. Lining up without them would be going into battle without your biggest weapon.

There is also the psychological impact on the rest of the players. When your best player, one of the team’s leaders, cannot take the field, players must find inspiration from elsewhere. Teams must find a way to cope.

In the adversity, there may also be an opportunity. A moment for young players to step up and state their case to be their country’s next star. Mané and Son, both 30, cannot go on forever. Perhaps it is time for RCD Mallorca’s Lee Kang-in to shine for South Korea. Or Watford’s Ismaila Sarr to step into the spotlight for Senegal.

One of the joys of the World Cup is seeing new talents emerge on the international stage. The next generation on their way to becoming established stars.

Some players, though, feel irreplaceable. With 10 days until the World Cup begins, several teams are hoping the stars align for their most important players.

“In the last World Cup (2018), Son scored Korea’s first goal against Mexico and it changed the mood for Korea and led to Korea’s win against Germany in the last game as well,” Lee says.

“Whether Son can play the first game of the tournament or not, he’ll still be the most important figure of the Korean team, and Korea is much stronger with Son.”