On March 20.3, the Korean team had a practice session to prepare for the 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Thailand (March 21.3) at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Lee Kang-in joined the "Land of Kimchi" team on the morning of March 20.3 and immediately participated in training with his teammates.
Previously, Lee Kang-in had a scuffle with Son Heung-min at the 2023 Asian Cup, causing internal discord within the Korean team and being eliminated in the semi-finals. Even though Lee Kang-in went directly to London (UK) to apologize to Son Heung-min, the country's fans still continued to attack Lee. Even before the Korean team announced the call-up list in March, this country's fans also declared they were ready to boycott the Korean team if Lee Kang-in was called up.
Before the training session, the Korean media had 15 minutes to work. Lee Kang-in was not assigned to give an interview, but he proactively asked to stop warming up, approached reporters, and publicly apologized to Korean fans. PSG star Lee Kang-in stood with his hands clasped together, bowed his head and said: "Thank you very much for coming here many times. First, I want to thank coach Hwang Sun-hong for giving me the opportunity to play for the team. During the Asian Cup, you gave me so much love, so much attention and support. However, I sincerely apologize for not being able to repay those kindnesses and for disappointing you."
Lee Kang-in proactively approached and apologized
He promised not to do it again in the future
The player born in 2002 also promised not to repeat the same mistake in the future: "Through the incident, I learned a lot of things. I think everyone's bitter comments will help me a lot in the future. Over the past time, it has also made me ponder many times.
From now on, I will not only strive to become a good soccer player but also strive to become a person with better moral qualities. I hope Korean fans will always help, care, and support me and the whole team in the future."
According to the sheet OSEN, After finishing his apology, Lee Kang-in Sau also bowed 90 degrees and smiled at the reporter. Not only Lee Kang-in was happy, Son Heung-min's laugh was also recorded. This newspaper wrote: "Apologizing once was as if the burden on his mind had been lifted. Lee Kang-in started training and recovering with his coach.
Except for Lee Kang-in, the remaining players were divided into two groups and passed the ball around. Whenever a mistake was made, there was loud laughter and playful reprimands. Captain Son Heung-min's voice echoed throughout the field. Even though he still had a bandage wrapped around his finger, he continued to practice with a bright smile."
Then bowed his head and apologized
Son Heung-min is radiant and often smiles with his teammates
Coach Hwang Sun-hong also beamed and shared: "The atmosphere is not bad. More than anything, it is important for Korea to show that we are united. Teammates work with Lee Kang-in to solve various problems. I look forward to tomorrow's match."
On March 21.3, the Korean team will face Thailand in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The "Land of Kimchi" team has 6 points, ranked first in Group C. Therefore, Lee Kang-in and his teammates are very determined to win to soon have a ticket to continue.
