Son Heung-min will join South Korea for its opening game in World Cup qualifying, with head coach Jurgen Klinsmann aiming to start the second stage of Asian competition with a statement win.
The Koreans and Asia’s five other 2022 World Cup participants start their qualification campaigns to appear at the 2026 tournament on Thursday.
None of the continental heavyweights are taking this stage lightly, with European-based stars such as Son, Kaoru Mitoma and Mehdi Taremi picked for their national teams to take on some of the continent’s lower-ranked rivals.
South Korea kicks off against Singapore in Seoul with Tottenham star Son and Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan leading the attack. Both have been in excellent form in the Premier League.
Klinsmann is ready to play his strongest team, despite the fact Singapore is ranked No. 155, as he begins a bid for South Korea to qualify for an 11th successive World Cup.