▶ Order of posting ① ‘Ahn Se-young, Shin Yu-bin, swimming golden generation’ Korean sports stars who shined in 2023
② ‘Like Son Heung-min’, Lee Kang-in also received the Taegeuk mark for 10 years… K-League Ulsan’s heyday
③LG, released after 29 years of hate, confirms generational change, Korean national representative
④’Winning the Asian Cup and challenging the Paris Olympics’ What will be the big sports event in 2024?
Lee Kang-in scores the team’s second goal with a free kick in the second half of the national soccer match between Korea and Tunisia held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 13th. Reporter Park Jong-min In 2023, Korean soccer was hot with Lee Kang-in (22, Paris Saint-Germain). ‘Captain’ Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) still has his presence, but he has emerged as a new ace who will lead Korean soccer for the next 10 years.
Lee Kang-in was the top prospect in Korean soccer until last year. He debuted for his country against Georgia in September 2019 and then scored one assist (against Portugal) at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but his prospect image is still stronger.
However, he completely removed the prospect tag in 2023.
With the appointment of coach Jürgen Klinsmann, he was reborn as a key resource. He had the opportunity to start before Uruguay, which was his second match as coach Klinsmann. He then appeared as a starter in the matches against Peru and El Salvador.
It reached its peak with the transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, the strongest player in French Ligue 1, last July. Paris Saint-Germain is the strongest team in France with Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe playing together until last season. With Lee Kang-in joining, Korea was included in the Asia Tour, and Lee Kang-in’s presence was also revealed in uniform sales.
After transferring to Paris Saint-Germain, Lee Kang-in spread his wings. He received military service benefits while winning a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. In particular, he scored 4 goals and 3 assists in 4 A matches in October and November, including scoring his national team debut goal against Tunisia in October. He led Klinsmann’s attack along with Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers), and Cho Kyu-sung (US Twitland) with 4 goals and 2 assists.
He also established himself in Paris Saint-Germain. At the time of his transfer, he was criticized for being a marketing stunt, but he is showing off his skills at Paris Saint-Germain. He scored his debut goal for Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League against AC Milan in October, and his Ligue 1 debut against Montpellier in November. He clearly captured coach Luis Enrique’s heart by starting all five games in December.
In addition to his ability to relieve pressure, which is his skill, his sharp left foot and dribbling that harass opposing defenders are also recognized by Paris Saint-Germain.
The performance of European players also set the stage for 2023.
Son Heung-min is ranked second in scoring, scoring 11 goals in the Premier League in the 2023-2024 season. His struggles from last season, when he played through the pain of his hernia, are no longer there. He also wore the captain’s armband at Tottenham under coach Enzi Postecoglou, and has been reporting goals every day, going back and forth from the left flank to the front line.
Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) has emerged as one of the world’s best center backs. He led SSC Napoli to the top of Italian Serie A and then moved to Bayern Munich, a prestigious club in the German Bundesliga. Bayern Munich’s defensive line without Kim Min-jae quickly established itself in an unimaginable manner.
Hwang Hee-chan also broke his personal record for goals by scoring 8 goals. He scored the most goals for Wolverhampton this season, and has established himself as a key player for Wolverhampton, with his contract being renewed until 2028.
Cho Kyu-seong, who went to Europe for the first time, is also conquering the Danish Superliga. He scored 8 goals in the first half of this season and is ranked 3rd in scoring. Midtjylland also finished the first half of the season in the lead with Cho Gyu-seong’s goal parade.
Ulsan Hyundai. Ulsan Hyundai’s heyday was in full swing in the K-League provided by the Korea Professional Football League.
Ulsan stayed in second place in K League 1 for three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021. However, he relieved his sorrow of winning with coach Hong Myung-bo. After finishing second in his first year, coach Hong Myung-bo brought Ulsan to the top of the K-League for the first time in 17 years in 2022. And in 2023, they succeeded in winning their second consecutive K-League 1 title while maintaining the top spot.
After coach Hong Myung-bo took office, Ulsan transformed into the strongest team in K League 1. They are overpowering their rival, Jeonbuk Hyundai, as they break away from the tedious feeling of defeat.
There was also a crisis. Last June, Park Yong-woo, Lee Kyu-seong, and Lee Myung-jae were embroiled in controversy over racial discrimination on social media. Ulsan was also shaken. In addition, Park Yong-woo transferred to Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last July. Director Hong Myung-bo also emphasized, “If you were to consider whether it was positive or negative, I think it went negatively. You can say we got through it wisely, but it was a difficult time. It was a good experience for everyone.”
Along with Ulsan’s victory, Kim Young-kwon won the MVP award.
On the other hand, Suwon Samsung, another famous team in the K League, fell. Suwon was relegated to K League 2, ranking last with 33 points from 8 wins, 9 draws, and 21 losses.
2023-12-27 15:05:13
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