The under-23 (U-23) national football team competing in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has finally become complete with the addition of European-based striker Lee Young-jun (Grasshopper).

According to team officials, Lee arrived in Nagoya, Japan, on September 21 and joined the squad.

Lee, a tall striker playing for Swiss professional club Grasshopper Club Zurich, was included in the final Asian Games roster and was initially scheduled to join the team around September 14, the day before the first Group D match against Qatar, but his arrival had been delayed due to club circumstances.

The club, which had previously agreed with the Korea Football Association (KFA) on the timing of his joining, failed to give a definitive answer amid variables such as a change in club leadership, ultimately preventing him from playing in the opening match against Qatar held on September 15.

The KFA sent an official to the local site to negotiate, and finally secured the team's "last piece of the puzzle" today, just a day before the second group match against Saudi Arabia.

Having already secured a place in the quarterfinals by defeating Qatar in the first match, Lee Min-sung's squad is now aiming for first place in the group in the match against Saudi Arabia.

Manager Lee Min-sung is expected to utilize Lee Young-jun in the match against Saudi Arabia to check his physical condition and on-field chemistry with his teammates ahead of the full-scale medal race starting with the quarterfinals on September 25.

This season with his club, Lee has recorded 3 goals and 1 assist in official matches, including recording an assist in the 9th round of the Swiss Super League against Luzern on September 20.

The men's football tournament at this Asian Games will hold its group stage until September 23, followed by the quarterfinals on September 25–26, the semifinals on September 30, and the medal matches on October 3.

(Photo provided by the Korea Football Association, Yonhap News)