One Goal Away From 59: Son Heung-min Seeks Sole First Place in A-Match Scoring Against Venezuela
Son Heung-min goes after sole first place on South Korea's men's all-time A-match scoring list in tonight's match against Venezuela. He is level with Cha Bum-kun on 58 goals, so one goal would put him ahead with 59.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
Cha Bum-kun (73) scored 58 goals in 136 A-matches. Son Heung-min (34) needed 149 matches to reach the same 58 goals. He has played 13 more matches, yet the goal totals are still identical. The two currently sit at the top of South Korea's men's A-match scoring list in a tie for first (as of 05:00 on 2026.10.02). One goal tonight would break the tie.
What Son Heung-min Needs for Sole First Place in Goals; He Is Already First in Appearances
Let's sort out the easily confused part first. The record for most appearances already belongs to Son Heung-min. At 149 matches, Son is 13 matches ahead of Cha Bum-kun and Hong Myung-bo. If Son plays in this match, the appearance record will grow to 150, and the record whose ranking can still change is most goals. Herald Business reported that adding one goal would make Son the sole leader with 59.
South Korea Men's All-Time A-Match Appearances Ranking (as of 05:00 on 2026.10.02)
| Rank | Player | Appearances (matches) | Gap to 1st (matches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Son Heung-min | 149 | — |
| 2 | Cha Bum-kun | 136 | 13 |
| 2 | Hong Myung-bo | 136 | 13 |
| 4 | Lee Woon-jae | 133 | 16 |
The match will be played at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium at 8 p.m. (KST) on October 2. The official ticketing site PLAY KFA and several media reports gave the same time. However, the association's media channel schedule lists 00:00, so even the official pages differ in how they show it. Alongside whether Son takes sole first place, attention is also on whether the national team can recover its form after the heavy defeat in its previous match.
Cha Bum-kun 58 Goals, Hwang Sun-hong 50 Goals: The All-Time Scoring Table
South Korea Men's All-Time A-Match Scoring Ranking (as of 05:00 on 2026.10.02)
| Rank | Player | Goals | Gap to joint leaders (goals) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Son Heung-min | 58 | — |
| 1 | Cha Bum-kun | 58 | — |
| 3 | Hwang Sun-hong | 50 | 8 |
| 4 | Park Yi-cheon | 36 | 22 |
| 5 | Lee Dong-gook | 33 | 25 |
| 5 | Kim Jae-han | 33 | 25 |
Third-ranked Hwang Sun-hong (58), head coach of Daejeon Hana Citizen, scored 50 goals in 103 matches between 1988 and 2002. This table adds Son's subsequent record, based on a report by TV Chosun, to the association's record table as of July 1. Cha Bum-kun's 58 goals come with a caveat. The association's record table separately notes that 'the FIFA-recognized record in 2000 is 55 goals.'
The Uruguay Match Goal Ruling: How Was the 58th Goal Recognized?
The 58th goal was not recognized smoothly. For the September 28 match against Uruguay, FIFA and some statistics providers initially listed the scorer differently from the association's ruling. Son also voiced doubt about whether the ball had touched a foot. According to an OSEN report carried by Money Today, the association upheld its ruling and FIFA also corrected its listing. With this goal, Son also reached 300 career official goals for club and country.
Son Heung-min, 34, $11.15 Million Salary: From Hamburg to LAFC
Son Heung-min was born on July 8, 1992, and is 34 years old by international age. Son debuted at Hamburger SV in 2010, passed through Leverkusen and Tottenham, and moved to LAFC in August 2025. Son won the 2021-22 Premier League joint Golden Boot and the 2020 FIFA Puskas Award. Son won gold at the 2018 Asian Games and lifted the trophy as Tottenham captain in the 2024-25 Europa League.
MLS Players Association data show that guaranteed compensation for the 2026 season is $11,152,852. Base salary is $10,368,750, a difference of $784,102 (as of 2026.04.16). Guaranteed compensation is a different item from endorsement income, total income, or net worth. The total contract value has not been confirmed.
Son is already first in appearances, and one goal remains until sole first place in scoring. This record refers to South Korea men's A-matches. The figures of 149 matches and 58 goals are as of the end of the September 28 Uruguay match, as reported by The Kyunghyang Shinmun and others. Regarding the 58th goal, Son said: "I don't think it's my goal."
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many goals is Son Heung-min's A-match scoring record?
As of 05:00 on October 2, 2026, Son has 58 goals, tied with Cha Bum-kun for first place in South Korea men's A-match scoring. One goal against Venezuela would make it 59 and sole first place.
Q. How old is Son Heung-min?
Born on July 8, 1992, Son is 34 years old by international age. Son currently plays as a forward for LAFC in MLS.
Q. When is Son Heung-min's match against Venezuela?
It will be held at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium at 8 p.m. (KST) on October 2, 2026. This is based on the official ticketing site PLAY KFA and multiple media reports.
Related Official Sites
- Korea Football Association: Records — Check the rankings for most A-match goals and appearances
- Korea Football Association: A-Match Records by Player — Look up each player's career appearances and goals
- Korea Football Association Official Ticketing Site PLAY KFA — Venezuela match schedule and ticket information
- LAFC Official Profile of Son Heung-min — Club record and player information
Featured image · Archive photo · Not a photo from the match covered in this article · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Ujishadow), CC BY-SA 4.0
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