Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who caused a ‘bottom line controversy’ by colliding with captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham) at the Qatar Asian Cup, was called up to the national team. Coach Hwang Sun-hong, the interim head coach of Korean soccer, emphasized, “It is time to move forward in harmony.”
On the 11th, Coach Hwang included Lee Kang-in when announcing the 23 national team players who will participate in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asia 2nd qualifying round match against Thailand at the Soccer Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 11th. Son Heung-min, who had a physical conflict, was also selected. He said, “This is not just a problem for the two players. “It is a problem for all members, including team members, coaching staff, and support staff,” he said.
He added, “As a soccer player, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to the people. He added, “We must prepare and play the two-game series against Thailand as one and with a heart of atonement.”
Getty Images KoreaDirector Hwang said there was an opinion that Lee Kang-in should not be selected for disciplinary reasons, but he evaluated this as only a temporary measure. He said, “If we move on without calling Lee Kang-in, the crisis can be overcome, but I don’t think the problem will be solved by not calling him this time and calling him next time.”
He continued, “From my experience as a player, I think there are always problems like this within the team. However, the key is how quickly you solve it. “When the team gets back together, it becomes an element that can become stronger,” he said. “I had that experience when I was a player. “If something happens on the playground, the best way is to resolve it as quickly as possible on the playground,” he emphasized.
Key members such as Kim Min-jae (Munich), Lee Jae-seong (Mainz), and Hwang In-beom (Zvezda), who participated in the last Asian Cup, were also named this time. Kim Young-kwon (Ulsan HD), Kim Jin-su (Jeonbuk Hyundai), Seol Young-woo (Ulsan), Park Jin-seop (Jeonbuk), Hong Hyun-seok (Ghent), Jeong Woo-young (Stuttgart), Cho Gyu-seong (Midtjylland), Cho Hyun-woo (Ulsan), Song Bum-geun (Shonan Bellmare) etc. were also convened again following the Asian Cup.
In the second leg match between Ulsan HD and Banfore Kofu (Japan) in the 2023-2024 season Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) round of 16 held at the Tokyo National Stadium in Japan on the 21st, Ulsan Ju Min-gyu (left) scored the winning goal in extra time in the second half. After putting it in, I am sharing my joy with my colleagues. Ju Min-gyu (Ulsan HD), who had not been selected for the national team, will wear the Taegeuk symbol for the first time. Coach Hwang said, “There is no reason not to select Joo Min-gyu,” adding, “There are many elements in soccer, but scoring ability is another area. There is no player who has scored more than 50 goals in the league over three years. “There is no need for further explanation.”
Kwon Kyung-won (Suwon FC), Jo Yu-min (Sharjah), Kim Moon-hwan (Al-Duhail), Lee Myung-jae (Ulsan), Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City), Jeong Ho-yeon (Gwangju FC), and Eom Won-sang (Ulsan), who did not play in the Asian Cup, were also called up. . Gatekeeper Lee Chang-geun (Daejeon Hana Citizen) also got a chance.
Seungwoo Lee, who had been highly anticipated, was not selected. Regarding this, Coach Hwang said, “We checked it at the stadium and discussed Seung-Woo Lee until the end,” and added, “However, considering various factors such as the combination, we were not able to select him. I feel a little regretful. The door to the national team is always open not only to Lee Seung-woo but also to players active in the K-League. “I hope you don’t give up or get disappointed and just keep pushing forward,” he said.
Jo Yoo-kyung,
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.