Japan also expressed regret over 'Lee Kang-in do-it-all football'... "He shouldered too much burden"

*This content was translated by AI.

If there was one South Korean player who made a clear impression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, it was undoubtedly Lee Kang-in (25, Paris Saint-Germain). Along with Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), he formed the starting attacking lineup under coach Hong Myung-bo. He was the only attacker to start and play the full duration of every match.

It wasn't just about playing time. Lee Kang-in recorded a pass success rate as high as 88.4%, created 7 scoring opportunities, and completed 11 successful dribbles. In particular, his 11 successful dribbles were so impressive that they tied for seventh place even after the tournament progressed to the Round of 32 and Round of 16 following South Korea's early exit. Despite being eliminated in the group stage, Lee Kang-in was selected for Marca's Group Stage Best XI by Spanish media, further highlighting his presence at this tournament.

However, apart from individual skills such as dribbling and passing, his presence within Hong Myung-bo's team did not stand out much. This was because Lee Kang-in's role was not clearly defined within the tactical system of former national team coach Hong Myung-bo. It became clear that the more the matches progressed, the more the team relied on Lee Kang-in. Coach Hong's tactics were constantly criticized as "do-it-all football," which relies heavily on individual player abilities, and among all players, the reliance on Lee Kang-in was overwhelmingly high.

The final group stage match against South Africa, where a draw would have secured qualification for the Round of 32, showed an especially heavy reliance on Lee Kang-in. On that day, instead of operating freely in the forward areas, Lee Kang-in dropped deep into the three-back line to participate in build-up play from the back. Rather than moving freely upfield and attempting decisive passes or shots, he came all the way down to the defensive line to act as the starting point for attacks. To make matters worse, even when Lee Kang-in received the ball in the backline, other players failed to show organic movement, causing the attack to repeatedly lose momentum. This also became a focal point of criticism regarding Coach Hong Myung-bo's tactical capabilities.

The fact that Lee Kang-in was unable to fully showcase his attacking talents at the World Cup has left not only South Korea but also Japan expressing regret. Football specialist media Foot Channel selected its Worst 11 Asian players from the recent North American World Cup on the 10th, including Lee Kang-in, but emphasized that "it is more the responsibility of the entire team for failing to utilize him properly rather than solely his own fault."

The media further stated, "The high expectations for Lee Kang-in ultimately centered on decisive plays in front of the goal. However, aside from one assist against Czechia, he scored no goals. While it was excellent that he dropped into midfield to support the team, this came at the cost of reduced influence in the attacking areas." It added, "From the moment (Coach Hong) assigned Lee Kang-in, who possesses attacking talent, too many defensive and build-up responsibilities, the South Korean national team's calculations went off track." This was how former coach Hong Myung-bo utilized Lee Kang-in, a move that even Japanese media could not help but regret.

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*This content was translated by AI.