South Korea captain says he is grateful to head into his fourth World Cup healthy Son Heung-min speaks to reporters before a training session for the FIFA World Cup at Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, Utah, on Tuesday (local time). (Yonhap) Preparing for his fourth World Cup, Son Heung-min says the excitement feels no different from the first time.“When it comes to the World Cup, I feel like a child again,” the South Korea captain told reporters before a training session for the FIFA World Cup at Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, Utah, on Tuesday.Son arrived at the team hotel late Monday after playing for LAFC. He appeared energized as he met reporters ahead of his first national team training session.The 33-year-old said how many World Cups he has played “doesn’t really matter,” adding that qualification was something the team earned together.“I want to prepare as if it’s my first with excitement, in good condition and with the goal of performing well,” he said.This year’s tournament carries different memories for Son than it did four years ago. South Korea's men's national football team trains for the FIFA World Cup at Zions Bank Training Center on Tuesday (local time). (Yonhap) At the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Son arrived after suffering a facial fracture that forced him to wear a protective mask throughout the tournament. Images of the captain in the black mask became one of the tournament’s lasting memories for Korean fans.This time, however, Son said he is grateful to be heading into the World Cup healthy.“I’ve never lacked confidence in football,” he said. “But with such a packed schedule, I was concerned about my fitness. Just being here without injuries or pain is already something positive.”With the World Cup less than two weeks away, Son said the smallest details can make the difference at the highest level.“The gap in ability between players is very small,” he said. “That’s why attention to detail matters so much.”Son stressed the importance of familiarity and repetition in building team chemistry.“It’s about where you place the pass, what comes next and developing that understanding through training. “You should know where your teammate is even with your eyes closed.” Son Heung-min trains for the FIFA World Cup at Zions Bank Training Center on Tuesday. (Yonhap) Although Korea faces a short preparation window before its World Cup opener, Son brushed aside concerns over limited time together.“The time before the first match is short, but that’s the same for every team,” he said. “It can’t be an excuse.”Asked about Korea’s ambitions, Son avoided making bold predictions.“That’s a very direct question,” he laughed. “Of course, we want to go higher and do better than the last World Cup. But results are impossible to predict.” South Korea's men's national football team trains for the FIFA World Cup at Zions Bank Training Center on Tuesday. (Yonhap) “No matter how hard we prepare, our opponents prepare just as hard,” Son went further. “Rather than talking about results now, the most important thing is to give everything day by day and train without regrets. If we do that, good results will follow.”Son said the World Cup remains something to be enjoyed rather than feared.“It’s a festival,” he said. “Representing your country on that stage is not an opportunity everyone gets. I want to enjoy it and make it special.”Currently, Son has three World Cup goals to his name, tied with retired stars Ahn Jung-hwan and Park Ji-sung for the most by a South Korean player. He scored once in Brazil in 2014 and twice in Russia in 2018.Korea will face the Czech Republic on June 12 at 11 a.m. Korea time, followed by matches against Mexico on June 19 and South Africa on June 25, both scheduled for 10 a.m.