Saudi Soccer Player Criticized For Pulling Son Heung Min’s Hair

A clip from a recent soccer match between the national teams of South Korea and Saudi Arabia is going viral but for not-so-fun reasons.

The teams of Saudi Arabia and South Korea | The Guardian

On January 30, the two teams were face to face in the Education City Stadium in Qatar, fighting for their spot in the Asian Cup quarter-finals. South Korea won in a 4-2 penalty shootout, much to the glee of Korean soccer fans.

| sportingnews.com

However, a clip from the match has left Korean netizens enraged. On January 31, a Korean Twitter user posted a video showing Saudi player Ali Albulayhi shoving Korean soccer star Son Heung Min in the chest, which was followed by him grabbing his hair as the two walked side by side.

이새끼는 진짜 징계 먹여야하는 거 아님?
머리채를 잡는데? pic.twitter.com/kIrcGSZXoV

— ????????????????????. (@Feliz_219) January 30, 2024

The clip went viral on different online communities, with netizens expressing their shock and anger at this gesture.

| theqoo

• “How dare he touch him.”
• “That’s exactly why they lost. Tch.”
• “That is crazy.”
• “It’s crazy. He pushed him and grabbed his hair. Why the f*ck did they not discipline him? I’m getting mad.”
• “He has really lost it. Attention-seeking b*stard.”

However, in response to the original tweet, another user posted a different clip of Son Heung Min with Ali Albulayhi, where the two are seen interacting like close friends. The two players hugged it out warmly, and as they walked together in the field with their arms around each other, the two talked and fist-bumped before going their separate ways.

@bt3 pic.twitter.com/gtt8gGbpRm

— داوود (@w7sfz) January 30, 2024

그들은 정말 친구이고 장난도 친다 pic.twitter.com/oSoPoC1ojN

— محمد إبراهيم (@M_Hazzazi) January 31, 2024

The video gave the impression that the two players might be good friends in real life, and Albulayhi’s actions were done in a joking manner. While some agreed with that possibility, others, however, remained unconvinced.