With World Cup qualifiers behind them, players from Lee Kang-in to Son Heung-min prepare for the next chapter

Courtesy of KFA

The season has ended for Korean soccer stars competing in Europe, following successful World Cup qualifiers earlier this month. The national team, known as the Taeguk Warriors, secured a 7-0 win against Singapore and a 1-0 victory over China in Seoul.

Seoul's World Cup Stadium, with a capacity of 65,000, recorded sellouts for all three qualification matches against Singapore, Thailand, and China, highlighting the strong support for the national team. This high attendance underscores the passionate fan base in Korea, a sentiment that has been noted repeatedly but has been challenging to sustain consistently for broader development of the sport in the country.
 

▲ Lee Kang-in cheering after scoring the first highlight in China's second qualifying match / Courtesy of KFA

Among the players, Lee Kang-in, 23, has completed his first season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He contributed to the team's successful campaign, winning both the French league championship and the domestic cup. Lee has started to make a significant impact as an attacking midfielder in Paris.

However, his season was marred by an incident at the Asian Cup in Qatar in February, where a reported scuffle with fellow player Son Heung-min resulted in Son dislocating his finger. The fallout from the incident, coupled with Korea's subsequent loss to Jordan, required Lee to travel to London to apologize to Son. The matter has since been resolved, and Lee has demonstrated his form by scoring twice in the match against Singapore and netting the winning goal against China. 

▲ Courtesy of KFASon Heung-min, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, is preparing for a break after a fluctuating season. The forward, who turns 32 next month, will soon be back in action as Tottenham is scheduled to play a pre-season match against Bayern Munich in Seoul on August 3.

Defender Kim Min-jae, who transferred from Napoli to Bayern Munich, faced a challenging second half of the season after returning from the Asian Cup. Bayern's coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged Kim's consistent performance up until January but noted mixed outcomes post-tournament. Kim's future at Bayern remains uncertain, with rumors suggesting he may be released. His performance next season will be critical to his continued presence at the club.

As the European season ends, Korean players like Lee, Son, and Kim face new challenges and expectations for the coming year, with their performances closely watched by both domestic and international fans.

Sayart

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com