▲ Head Coach Lee Min-sung answering questions from reporters
Ahead of the group stage kickoff at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, men's national football team Head Coach Lee Min-sung expressed his ambition to revive the recently slumping South Korean football scene by achieving a fourth consecutive victory.
During the Asian Games group stage press conference held today (September 14) at the Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, Coach Lee stated, "We are here to win the Asian Games gold medal, which is our goal. Training has gone well from our pre-tournament camp in Shizuoka to our arrival in Nagoya, and all preparations are complete."
The under-23 (U-23) Asian Games men's national football team, led by Coach Lee, will play their first Group D match against Qatar at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (September 15) at the same stadium.
South Korea is aiming for its fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football title, following victories at the 2014 Incheon, 2018 Jakarta-Palembang, and 2022 Hangzhou (held in 2023) tournaments.
Amid the shock of the team's group stage elimination at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, which has severely damaged the image of South Korean football, the bid for a fourth straight Asian Games title is drawing even greater attention.
Coach Lee emphasized, "I, too, have faced heavy criticism from fans and public opinion over the past year and six months. I believe this Asian Games will serve as a valuable tonic for us," adding, "We will make sure to crown the Asian Games with a gold medal so that South Korean football can rise again."
A total of 15 countries are participating in the men's football tournament this year, competing in the group stage across four groups.
Groups A, B, and C feature four nations each, while Group D, which includes South Korea, features three nations.
Following their opening match against Qatar, South Korea will face Saudi Arabia in their second match a week later on September 22.
Coach Lee noted, "Preparations for Qatar and Saudi Arabia are complete, and after our match tomorrow, we will analyze the Saudi Arabia-Qatar match when it takes place on September 18."
The current squad features nine players active in European leagues who joined the team at different times, making it difficult to build teamwork quickly.
Lee Young-jun, who plays for Swiss club Grasshopper, has yet to join the squad.
Coach Lee said, "Given the nature of the national team, it is difficult to quickly build cohesion. We plan to organize the team through the group stage," adding, "The reason we utilize many European-based players in the attack is because once the defensive and midfield structures are completed, the attacking side will naturally fall into place. We are not overly concerned about such issues."
He added, "Since my contract expires at the end of this tournament and I will be leaving the national team, every single day has been irreversible and precious since our training camp in Cheonan. Starting with tomorrow's match against Qatar, I will approach each remaining game with a precious mindset and give my absolute best."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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