South Korea star Son to have surgery ahead of World Cup
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LONDON (AP) — South Korea captain Son Heung-min will undergo surgery on a facial injury, jeopardizing his availability for the World Cup in Qatar.
Son, one of Asian soccer's most high-profile players, was helped off the field during the first half of Tottenham's Champions League match at Marseille on Tuesday after taking a shoulder to the face.
Tottenham said Wednesday that Son will have an operation “to stabilize a fracture around his left eye.”
The Premier League club didn't say how long it expects Son to be sidelined.
“Following surgery,” the team said, “Son will commence rehabilitation with our medical staff and we shall update supporters further in due course.”
The World Cup starts Nov. 20 and South Korea is one of the last teams to play its first group game — against Uruguay on Nov. 24. Portugal and Ghana are also in Group H.
Tottenham has games against Liverpool and Leeds before the Premier League is paused for the World Cup.