Injured and Missed Semifinals, but Started in the Final: Captain Lee Ki-hyeok Says, "I Wanted to Help the Team Somehow"

Lee Ki-hyeok, captain of the South Korean men's national football team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, reflected on the tournament after winning the gold medal.

Having missed the semifinals due to an injury, Lee focused on receiving treatment to prepare for the final. He stated that even though his body was not in full condition, he wanted to find a way to contribute to the team as its captain.

Admitting that "the weight of being captain was so heavy," Lee expressed his gratitude to his teammates and coach who trusted him until the end, in an interview brought to you by Sports Mug.

(Reported by Hong Seok-jun | Produced and Edited by Park Jin-hyeong | Filmed by Yang Doo-won | Produced by Sports News Department)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.