"I think we have a clear opportunity to unite more."
The time has come to put an end to the controversy. Lee Kang-in 23, Paris Saint-Germain bowed low at 90 degrees Celsius, and Son Heung-min 32, Tottenham Hotspur and his players accepted the offer. Now, there is nothing left to prove on the field.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by interim coach Hwang Sun-hong, will play the third round of Group C against Thailand at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 21st.
Currently, Korea ranks first in the group with two wins out of two matches six points. Thailand beat Singapore, but lost to China and is ranking second in the group with one win and one loss three points. It has the same point as China, but is leading in goal difference.
The Korean team started its final training session at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, a day before the match. It is the first training session in which all 23 players including Lee Kang-in will play together. Lee Kang-in did not participate in the closed training session, which took place on Sunday afternoon as he was returning home via Incheon International Airport.
Lee Kang-in got out of the group ahead of the training and stood separately in front of reporters. He apologized for the collision with captain Son Heung-min during the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar, the AFC Asian Football Confederation and expressed his feelings. Lee had a physical collision with Son a day before the semifinal match against Jordan, in which he injured his finger.
Lee Kang-in, who appeared with a smile, said, "Thank you so much for coming. First of all, I would like to thank Coach Hwang Sun-hong for giving me this opportunity," and added, "He showed so much love, interest, and support during the Asian Cup. However, I would like to say that I am so sorry that I failed to repay you and disappointed you."
Lee Kang-in, who neatly gathered his hands, said, "I'm learning too much through this opportunity. Everyone's bitter words are a great help and I think it's a period of reflection." "In the future, I will try to become not only a good soccer player but also a better person, a better person, and a more helpful and exemplary person for the team. I will become such a person, such a player, so I ask for your interest and support in Korean soccer in the future."
After the apology, Lee bowed low at 90 degrees Celsius. He smiled once as if he had relieved the burden he had before, and started recovery training with his coach. As he had just joined the team, he focused on getting out of the team and improving his condition. Contrary to expectations, he looked cheerful.
Son Heung-min also started to close the conflict. He had already reported the reconciliation with Lee Kang-in through social media last month. Lee Kang-in flew to London and asked for forgiveness from Son Heung-min, and apologized to other national team players.
At the time, Son posted a picture of himself standing alongside Lee Kang-in and smiling brightly, saying, "I made a lot of mistakes when I was young. I will take care of all the senior players and captains of the national team, including myself, so that they can grow into better people and players so that they don't commit wrong actions again," he said. "He is having a really hard time. Please forgive me with a generous heart just once. As the captain of the national team, I ask for your help."
Son embraced Lee once again at a press conference on Tuesday. "I met Kang separately in the U.K. as well. I had a meeting with all the players yesterday as well. Kang also made a sincere apology for what he did and what he did wrong in front of all the players. I think the players accepted the offer as well," Son said.
"Kang first flew to England and showed a gesture of reconciliation. Apologizing first requires a lot of courage," Son said. "Everyone makes mistakes and learns a lot from him. As a member of the team, I hope Kang will become stronger as he is still a young player and understand exactly what his position as a national team member means. I hope he can become a better person and a better player through this opportunity."
In fact, the mood at the training was also upbeat. Not only Lee Kang-in with a big smile but also other players put to rest their concerns with a smile. Compared to the previous open training on Wednesday, which was rather heavy, everyone looked quite cheerful.
Except for Lee Kang-in, the rest of the field players were divided into two groups to spin the ball. When mistakes were made, loud laughter and playful rebukes were exchanged. Son Heung-min's voice also resonated loudly in the stadium. He still looked like he had tape on his right finger, but he smiled brightly and trained.
Lee Kang-in seems to have changed the atmosphere by apologizing once again at the gathering of his teammates. "I don't think the players responded well because Lee Kang-in showed courageous attitude of apologizing. I think we have a clear opportunity to unite even more. The atmosphere is not as bad as it is worried," Son said.
A KFA official also said, "Lee Kang-in had a meeting with the players yesterday and greeted them first. It is still a bit awkward. Normally, it would be awkward if you come to the national team for a short day or two. In addition, it would have been even more awkward since there was an incident. They are showing their efforts."
Now is the time to really end the controversy. Lee Kang-in bowed his head several times, admitting his wrongdoings, and Son Heung-min, the person directly involved, asked everyone for forgiveness. Other national team players have also not directly expressed their position, but the rest will be resolved and left within the team.
It is no longer helpful for anyone to judge the wrongs and hold Lee Kang-in accountable. Tolerance is needed for Lee Kang-in's own sake, even for Korean soccer. As Son Heung-min mentioned, the fact that the incident continues to be mentioned can cause inconvenience and pain to everyone.
Of course, we still have one more task to do. In order to completely eliminate fans' stinging eyes and distrust, we need to show them with actions, not words. Only then can what happened on the field be solved and moved on as Hwang Sun-hong said.
Coach Hwang emphasized the "one-team spirit" the most at a press conference held on Tuesday. "More than anything else, it is important to be one. It is important for our teammates to work together with Lee Kang-in to resolve various issues, to open up and harmonize with each other. That should be the case on the field. I hope tomorrow will be the day," Hwang said. I hope that this match against Thailand can be a new turning point as everyone wishes. 안전놀이터