The slim odds of victory won’t put a damper on Korea’s spirits

Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), the captain of the Korean national soccer team, shared this on his personal Instagram account on November 9 when it was still unclear whether he would take part in the World Cup after suffering a facial fracture. Team Korea's commitment to this competition is summed up by this phrase, which demonstrated his willingness to take part in the World Cup. According to American metadata provider Gracenote, South Korea's chances of making it to the top 16 were 11%.

The Korea team transformed the 1 into 100 in their match against Portugal on Saturday in Al Rayyan, Qatar, as they clung to the slim chance of moving on Son's black mask represents his desire to continue fighting. Son suffered a face injury three weeks prior to the World Cup, and doctors advised at least eight weeks of recovery. However, the captain of the Korean side displayed incredible fortitude by entering the field while wearing the black mask.