Korean Football in Crisis: Senior Players vs. Rising Star Lee Kang-in

The controversy has reignited over the fact that Son Heung-min’s finger was dislocated during a fight with young players, including Lee Kang-in, and senior players requested that Lee Kang-in be excluded.

According to multiple media outlets, on the 14th, it was reported that a senior player of the Korean national soccer team requested manager Klinsmann to eliminate Lee Kang-in from the starting lineup before the semi-final match against Jordan.

A person familiar with the team’s situation said, “In the conflict, senior players Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, and Hwang Hee-chan argued with Lee Kang-in during the tournament,” and “I know that Lee Kang-in, who came from Spain, often clashed because he has distinct emotional characteristics from his seniors.”

“A few senior players who held Lee Kang-in culpably requested the coach to eliminate him from the roster,” another source said. “As a coach, Klinsmann would not have easily accepted it due to his high expectations for Lee Kang-in.”

Klinsmann regarded Lee Kang-in as a key national team member, including him as a starting lineup.

As the actual names of the players engaged in the conflict are revealed, the condemnation of the Korea Football Association for forcibly imposing Coach Klinsmann’s hiring is growing.

It is pointed out that instead of protecting the players, they are inciting noise by pushing them forward.

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min’s interview after the match against Jordan is attracting attention. In an interview with the British newspaper “The Standard,” Son Heung-min said, “I don’t want to talk about the Asian Cup ever again.”

South Korea lost 0–2 against Jordan in the semi-finals with zero shots on target.