Head Coach Lee Min-sung Targets Fourth Straight Asian Games Gold: "Past Struggles Will Be Our Medicine"

As the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games approach, under-23 (U-23) national football team head coach Lee Min-sung, who is aiming for a fourth consecutive gold medal in the men's football tournament, has vowed to turn past struggles and trial-and-error into stepping stones to reach the top.

The Asian Games squad, led by Coach Lee, gathered at the Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on the afternoon of Sept. 1 to kick off their first training session.

Speaking to reporters prior to training, Coach Lee said, "The journey to get here has not been smooth, but those times will serve as great medicine for us. We will steadily iron out areas for improvement and win the gold medal at this tournament."

The weight of expectations is heavy on Team Lee for this tournament.

They carry the task of restoring the honor of South Korean football, which received a painful scorecard after failing to advance past the round of 32 at the recently concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Starting with the 2014 Incheon Games, South Korea has never missed out on winning the men's football title at the Asian Games, claiming gold for three consecutive editions.

Particularly because winning the tournament grants military service exemptions, the team has called up a large number of key prospects to build a full-strength squad with their sights set on a fourth straight title.

"Since this is a tournament where we always aim for gold, rather than having a grim resolve, we are focusing solely on reaching the top just as we have prepared so far," Coach Lee stated.

He added, "Playing our own brand of football is more important than the opponent's strength. We have prepared well against Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and we are still preparing well. We will do our best to showcase strong performances starting from the group stage."

While they set sail with heavy responsibility, it is also true that lingering concerns follow the national team.

Team Lee reached the semifinals of the U-23 Asian Cup last January, considered a preliminary showdown for the Asian Games, but faced heavy criticism for lack-luster performances throughout the tournament.

They struggled through the group stage against Iran, Lebanon, and Uzbekistan to barely reach the quarterfinals, and suffered a lackluster 0-1 defeat in the semifinals against a younger Japanese squad composed of players two years their junior, tarnishing their pride.

Addressing this, Coach Lee explained, "Up until now, it was close to a player selection process for the Asian Games. It is regrettable that we haven't had matches where we could bring out the complete roster and build tactical cohesion, but those past experiences will ultimately serve as great medicine."

Meanwhile, only 14 out of the 23 players on the final roster, all from the K League, participated in the initial training session held today.

Overseas-based players such as Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Yang Min-hyeok (Tottenham), and Kim Ji-soo (Brentford) are scheduled to join the squad directly in Japan, the battleground for the tournament.

Coach Lee outlined his training plan, saying, "First, we will tighten our defensive organization centered around the defenders and midfielders currently gathered. Once the overseas-based players join us in Japan, we will complete our overall tactical combinations."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.