A Legend Congratulates A Legend…Son Heung-min, Celebrated by Cha Bum-kun, Makes His 138th Appearance

Pre-Paraguay Match Ceremony to Commemorate Most A-Match Appearances…Overcome with Emotion, Covering His Face

Son Heung-min Writes a New Chapter in A-Match History (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Hwa-young = A friendly match between the Korean and Paraguayan national football teams held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 14th.

Before the match, Son Heung-min poses for a commemorative photo with Chung Mong-gyu, President of the Korea Football Association, after receiving a commemorative jersey for his record of 137 A-match appearances. Son Heung-min set a new record in Korean football history by achieving his 137th A-match appearance in the previous match against Brazil. 2025.10.14 hwayoung7@yna.co.kr

Son Heung-min, the undisputed 'Captain' of the Korean national football team (LAFC), stood before his 138th A-match, celebrated by domestic fans for breaking the record for the most appearances by a Korean player.

A ceremony was held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 14th to commemorate Son Heung-min's achievement of the most A-match appearances by a Korean male player, prior to the friendly match against Paraguay.

Cha Bum-kun, a 'legend' of Korean football and former head coach, personally attended the stadium to congratulate and encourage his junior, Son Heung-min.

Son Heung-min, overcome with emotion, covered his face with both hands, and former coach Cha presented him with a framed jersey bearing Son's English name and the number '137'.

Fans in attendance also rejoiced in his significant record, waving placards with messages such as 'New Legend Son Heung-min' and 'May your future steps be filled with happiness,' and holding up Son's jersey.

Son Heung-min surpassed the previous joint record of 136 appearances held by former coach Cha Bum-kun and current national team coach Hong Myung-bo in his 137th A-match against Brazil on the 10th, becoming the sole leader in this category.

The record for the most A-match appearances by any Korean player, male or female, is 169 matches by Ji So-yun (Birmingham City). Son Heung-min ranks fourth, following Cho So-hyun (154 matches, Suwon FC) and Kim Jung-mi (152 matches, Hyundai Steel).

Son Heung-min Writes a New Chapter in A-Match History (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Hwa-young = A friendly match between the Korean and Paraguayan national football teams held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 14th.

Before the match, former head coach Cha Bum-kun congratulates Son Heung-min on his record of 137 A-match appearances and presents him with a commemorative jersey. Son Heung-min set a new record in Korean football history by achieving his 137th A-match appearance in the previous match against Brazil. 2025.10.14 hwayoung7@yna.co.kr

Son Heung-min, wearing the captain's armband and starting as a forward in today's match against Paraguay, further extended his record by appearing in his 138th A-match.

Son Heung-min made his A-match debut in a friendly against Syria in 2010 at the age of eighteen.

The following year, in 2011, he scored his debut A-match goal against India in the AFC Asian Cup group stage. Since then, he has played for the national team every year, serving as Korean football's top star for the past 15 years.

Son Heung-min has scored 53 goals in A-matches, trailing former coach Cha Bum-kun (58 goals), who holds the record for the most goals in Korean football history, by just 5 goals.

He is the highest active scorer in A-matches and ranks second in all-time scoring for Korean football.

Son Heung-min also started and played on the left wing in the friendly match against Paraguay held at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on June 10, 2022.

In that match, when Korea was trailing 0-2, Son Heung-min scored a comeback goal from a free kick in the 21st minute of the second half, changing the momentum. Then, in stoppage time of the second half, Jung Woo-young scored the equalizer, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw. Yonhap News

Embrace of Legends (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Dong-hae = A friendly match between the Korean and Paraguayan national football teams held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 14th.

Before the match, Son Heung-min, who set the new record for most A-match appearances, embraces former head coach Cha Bum-kun. Son Heung-min set a new record in Korean football history by achieving his 137th A-match appearance in the previous match against Brazil. 2025.10.14 eastsea@yna.co.kr