Please don't shake it."

Captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham) said, "Please protect the players," amid worsening public opinion about the Korean national soccer team due to the Asian Cup graduation.

Korea tied 3-3 in the third and final Group E match against Malaysia at the Al-Zanub Stadium in Al-Wakra, Qatar on Saturday. Korea sought a multi-score victory over Malaysia, but the team tied after a fierce battle.

The team drew a tie with Jordan, which was considered a lower-ranked team, and German coach Jürgen Klinsmann criticized the team for its lack of tactics. In the end, the team failed to catch Malaysia and ended up with just one win in the group league. This was achieved after appointing all key players. Various points are being raised, including formation of the national team and tactics.

After the draw with Malaysia, Son told reporters, "I really wanted to say that I don't want to sway the players and protect them," adding, "Many fans online are making remarks that go a little beyond the line, and it's a pity to see them from the sidelines. All players have family, friends and colleagues. They are human beings before they are soccer players." Due to his poor performance recently, some fans even left comments criticizing him on social media.

"I'm doing my best to satisfy (the fans). I want you to take care of the players a little bit more," Son said.

South Korea, which advanced to the round of 16 as the second-ranked team in Group E, will compete with Saudi Arabia on the 31st for the quarterfinals.

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