Lee Jae Sung is down "There are two months left until the World Cup." The big toe injury... Hong Myung-bo Team It's a non-fungible resource. Oh no.

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jae-sung (34, Mainz), a key midfielder for the South Korean national soccer team, was out of power due to an injury to his left big toe.

Mainz reported Lee Jae-sung's injury on the club's official social service (SNS) on the 10th (Korea time) and announced that he had not attended the team training held on the 8th.

In the aftermath of the injury, Lee Jae-sung was excluded from the first round of the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) quarterfinals against Strasbourg on the 10th. With Lee Jae-sung absent, Mainz won 2-0 thanks to back-to-back goals from Sano Kaishu and Stefan Poche, and gained an advantage in advancing to the semifinals.

The Mainz club did not reveal the exact return schedule for Lee Jae-sung. The club only explained, "The timing of the return to training will be determined depending on the individual player's recovery progress."

It is understood that it is not a major injury, but it is a concern for the national team as the opening of the 2026 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup is only two months away. Lee Jae-sung, who plays both in the second and center, is an irreplaceable resource for Hong Myung-bo Team. Although the injury does not seem to prevent the participation in the World Cup finals itself, slow recovery is expected to affect condition and physical condition.

Lee Jae-sung also silently played his part in the two straight A matches against Ivory Coast and Austria, which were held in March in away matches in Europe. At that time, the national team lost both games, leaving a regret, but Lee Jae-sung performed well based on his unique active activity and stable linked play. Despite the team's consecutive losses, he maintained his veteran-like form and reaffirmed that it was an irreplaceable resource, so it is even more regrettable to leave the injury at the time of the World Cup.

Lee Jae-sung has played in 26 Bundesliga matches, the Champions League (UCL) and the Europa League (UEL), and seven matches in the UECL, a third-division competition organized by UEFA, with a total of one goal and two assists.

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*This content was translated by AI.