Son Heung-min 'indescribably hurt' by South Korea's World Cup exit, vows to 'win the hearts' of fans

South Korea captain Son Heung-min has apologized for the team's group-stage exit at the World Cup, saying he is "indescribably hurt" and eager to "win the hearts" of the nation once again.

In a long post on Instagram on Monday night, Son — a soccer superstar in South Korea and a big name in Major League Soccer with Los Angeles FC — said he understood the disappointment of the team's fans after its performances in the tournament that have drawn harsh criticism from the country's president and led to the resignation of coach Hong Myung-bo.

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"I don't dare to convey the disappointment and hurt of the fans with a single word 'sorry,'" Son wrote, "so even saying those words feels insufficient.

"The 'child's dream stage' that I always talked about has collapsed," he added. "I'm indescribably stuck and hurt. To be honest, it's still not easy to accept this reality."

South Korea won its opening match against Czech Republic, then lost its next two Group A matches — to Mexico and South Africa.

The team failed to advance as one of the third-place group finishers.

Son, who started on the bench for the group closer against South Africa, didn't score a goal at the World Cup and said he felt a personal responsibility that "I couldn't repay the time, heart, and constant support and love" that the fans gave.

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In a signal he wouldn't be retiring from international soccer, the 33-year-old Son said "I will do my best in my position again to win the hearts of the Korean people and football fans."

Son also called on the team's supporters to "send warm support and encouragement rather than criticizing and hurting all the players."

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