Lee Kang-in: "Responsibility Over Regret, I Will Grow Further"... First Statement After World Cup

Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), a key midfielder for the national football team, has pledged to take responsibility for the disappointing results of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup and continue to grow as a player.
In a post on his Instagram yesterday (July 3), Lee said, "This World Cup was a tournament that made me carefully reflect on many things as a player," adding, "I am grateful to all the fans who supported the national team."
He also stated, "I feel a great sense of regret for not being able to repay your expectations with satisfactory results."
Participating in his second World Cup following the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Lee solidified his presence as the team's ace by playing the full 90 minutes in all three group stage matches.
After recording an assist in the opening group stage match against the Czech Republic, he was the only player from an eliminated team to be named to the group stage Best 11 selected by the Spanish newspaper Marca.
"Over the past four years, there has been the effort and dedication of many people, including my teammates, the coaching staff, support staff, and medical team," Lee reflected. "I am also disappointed that we could not show results worthy of that time."
Lee continued, "I believe that when results are not good, the first thing one must hold is not regret, but responsibility. I, too, could have shown a better performance and should have done my part better."
He emphasized, "Because the love and support I receive as a national team player are never something to be taken for granted, I believe I must repay them through my performance on the pitch. I will not forget this result, and I will grow further to become a player who contributes to the team."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.