2024-01-05 09:15:09
▲ Lee Kang-in greeting reporters
Lee Kang-in, a member of the Korean national soccer team participating in the 2023 Asian Cup, is greeting reporters at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 5th (local time). Provided by the Korea Football Association Klinsmann, who has become a complete team with the addition of Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), the next generation of Korean soccer, will hold a final rehearsal to win the Asian Cup for the first time in 64 years against Iraq.
The Korea Football Association announced on the 5th that Lee Kang-in arrived at the Korean national football team’s accommodation in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) this morning local time. Lee Kang-in will immediately participate in the team training scheduled for this afternoon. This is the first time that all 26 members of the Klinsmann train together.
Lee Kang-in was the last to join the national team. The day before, in the 2023 Tropez des Champions (French Super Cup) match against Toulouse held at Parc des Princes in Paris, France, he scored the opening goal and led the way to a 2-0 victory before boarding a plane for Abu Dhabi.
Lee Kang-in, who postponed his joining with the permission of national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann in order to win his first championship after his transfer, is expected to bring the spirit of winning to the national team.
Klinsmann, joined by Lee Kang-in, will play a friendly match against Iraq at New York University Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE, at 10 p.m. on the 6th, Korean time. This match is like the final mock exam to regain the top spot in Asia after 64 years. Iraq was in Group D along with Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia in the Asian Cup group stage. Korea was placed in Group E along with Jordan, Bahrain, and Malaysia. There are two Middle Eastern teams.
Even after the Iraq war, the Klinsmann continued training in Abu Dhabi to improve its local adaptability and organizational skills, including the climate of the Middle East, before moving to Qatar, the ‘land of decisive battle’, on the 10th. The Asian Cup begins at 1 a.m. on the 13th with the opening match between hosts Qatar and Lebanon.
Korea has never conquered the summit since winning the first competition in 1956 and the second competition in 1960. This is largely due to the fact that the Middle East team has repeatedly caught them. After winning two consecutive championships, Korea reached the finals four times, but finished in second place in all three of them, losing to teams from the Middle East. In the 2019 UAE tournament, which was played under former coach Paulo Bento, who currently leads the UAE national team, Korea lost to Qatar in the quarterfinals.
Reporter Hong Ji-min
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