'Cry baby' Son Heung-min did lie but few would mind

Son Heung-min cries in the locker room after Korea lost to Mexico 2-1 during a 2018 Russia World Cup group match. At right is President Moon Jae-in, who is consoling Team Korea's top attacker. Yonhap

By Oh Young-jin 
As captain of Team Korea in the final Group F preliminary match of the 2018 Russia World Cup, Son Heung-min scored and helped lead the 2-0 defeat of Germany. 
In FIFA rankings, Korea is 57th while Germany is No. 1. At least Korean fans, upset by their team's previous lackluster games against Sweden and Mexico, forgave the team after that give-all performance, although the team failed to advance to the round of 16. But Son obviously couldn't and was seen crying with his teammates and coach Shin tae-yong.
Before that, the Tottenham Hotspur forward completely broke down when Korea lost to Mexico 2-1 in game 2. President Moon Jae-in visited the locker room after the match to console the team but Son cried uncontrollably, with his jersey off. Moon tried to calm him but was not immediately successfully.
In May, before heading to Russia, Son promised not to cry. 
"I want to show the nation my smiling face with good results in Russia," he said. "I will sacrifice my entire body and mind for the national team." 

Son Heung-min wipes away tears with his jersey after Korea beat Germany 2-0 but failed to advance to the next round in the 2018 Russia World Cup. Yonhap

The nation was jubilant to see Son and the rest of Team Korea finally play their game, albeit wishing that they had played as well in the first and second games.
The streets of Gwanghawmun partially came to resemble those during the 2002 World Cup Korea co-hosted with Japan as people in red T-shirts cheered in front of big screens showing the match.
With Son, he cried at the 2014 World Cup, where Korea failed to advance to the knockout stage, and at the 2016 Olympics. He got the nickname "Crying boy," without negative connotations. 
Asked why he cried so much, he once said: "I hate to lose." So he cried because he and his team didn't perform to his expectations.
Then, was that the reason why he didn't cry as hard after the game with Germany as he did after the one against Mexico?