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Fifa World Cup: Son Heung-min fit to play in South Korea’s opener against Uruguay, says coach

  • The 30-year-old Son has been training in Qatar in a mask and South Korean fans have been eagerly awaiting updates on his fitness
  • Uruguay, who boast veteran attackers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani will be favourites to win the opening Group H match

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Son Heung-min takes part in a training session on the eve of his match against Uruguay. Photo: AFP

Son Heung-min will be able to play in South Korea’s opening World Cup match against Uruguay on Thursday despite wearing a mask after facial surgery, coach Paulo Bento said.

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The Spurs attacker and South Korean skipper had surgery earlier this month after suffering a fracture around his left eye in a collision during a Champions League game.

“Son can play and will be able to play,” Bento said on Wednesday.

It remains to be seen to what extent the South Korean talisman features, with the Portuguese boss cautioning: “He knows and we know that after this injury we cannot take any risks.”

At one training session in Doha the mask appeared to be troubling Son as he went through fitness drills with the rest of the squad. Photo: Reuters
At one training session in Doha the mask appeared to be troubling Son as he went through fitness drills with the rest of the squad. Photo: Reuters

Bento insisted the mask was “natural” for the player, who has scored 35 times in more than 100 internationals and shared the Premier League Golden Boot last season with Liverpool’s Mo Salah.

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