South Korean soccer without 'captain' Son Heung-min, and Lee Kang-in's role as an evolved 'golden talent' has become more important
South Korean soccer without 'captain' Son Heung-min, and Lee Kang-in's role as an evolved 'golden talent' has become more important
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Captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham) is absent. "Golden talent" Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) gets heavier on his shoulders.토토사이트
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will play the third Group B match against Jordan at the International Stadium in Amman, Jordan, at 11 p.m. on the 10th (hereinafter Korean time) in the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup. Later, he will return by chartered plane and face Iraq at 8 p.m. on the 15th at Mir Stadium in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
A major variable has occurred. Son Heung-min, the ace player, is out due to an injury. The Korea Football Association announced on Monday that Son needs rest due to his left thigh injury. "We have decided not to call him up in October to protect our players." In place of Son, Hong Hyun-suk (Minutes) has been replaced.
Son appeared in the first round of the Europa League phase against Karabakh (Azerbaijan) in 2024-2025. Since then, he has not appeared in the second round of the English Premier League phase against Ferencvarosi (Hungary). According to Tottenham manager Enze Postecoglou, Son is unlikely to be able to play in an away league match against Brighton on Wednesday. "He is highly unlikely. We are pushing ahead, but things may be too fast for now," Postecoglou said.
Son is the core of Korean soccer. He leads his team's offense as an ace in the field. He is a left-handed striker, but depending on circumstances, he sometimes takes the lead in games. Son started in both matches against Palestine and Oman last month. Notably, he scored two goals alone in an away match in Oman, spearheading his team's 3-1 victory. However, Son will not be present in the A match in October. His concern has become a reality.
With the absence of an ace, "golden talent" Lee Kang-in's shoulders have become heavier. Lee Kang-in has definitely become the core of the A-team since the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He is the center of the way to the North-China-US World Cup. Lee Kang-in scored four goals and three assists in six games of the second Asian qualifying round. He activated attack points in every game except for one game.
Lee Kang-in is also a key player under the newly launched coach Hong Myung-bo. He started as the wingman who played in the first match against Palestine last month. Depending on the situation, he penetrated the center and confused the opponent. In addition, Lee came down to the third line and received the ball to open the door for offense. Lee showed everything including not only the operation of the game, but also passes and shootings. In the second match against Oman, he also accumulated attack points. He helped Son Heung-min score the final goal in the 38th minute of the second half, when the game was tense at 1-1. When two opposing defenders were surrounded momentarily, he took advantage of it. He added a defense to himself and passed a pass to Son Heung-min to help score a goal.
Lee has displayed the best performance in his current team as well. He scored a goal just three minutes into the first half in the opening match of the French Ligue 1 team against Le Havre during the 2024-2025 season. He achieved the "first goal" of the Ligue 1 team this season. He also scored in the second round against Montpellier. In his sixth round match with Stade Ren, he scored another goal by a diving header. Since his debut in France last season, Lee has left five goals and five assists (including three goals and four assists in the regular league) in 36 official matches. He had three goals in eight official matches (six matches in the regular league) this season.
Above all, Lee Kang-in has evolved to the next level. He has mainly played as an attacking midfielder and a right-side striker. However, he also played as a defensive midfielder in off-season friendly matches. In addition, he played as a zero-top "fake No. 9" in the match against Ren. As Lee Kang-in played in various positions, the range of use expanded that much.
Ahead of the A-match in October, Hong expressed his belief toward Lee Kang-in, saying, "He is a player who plays his role enough no matter what position he is in." Lee Kang-in, who has become heavier on his shoulders, is scheduled to join the "Hong Myung-boho" after the league's away game against Nice on the 7th.