*This content was translated by AI.
Former South Korean national team goalkeeper Kim Young-gwang (43) expressed deep regret over Lee Seung-woo's (28, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) failure to make the national team, attributing it to "the coach's stubbornness."
On the 22nd episode of MBC's variety program 'Radio Star', former and current football players Kim Young-gwang and Lee Seung-woo appeared together and candidly shared behind-the-scenes stories about the World Cup squad selection process.
That day, Lee Seung-woo conveyed his intense feelings at the time of the final World Cup roster announcement. He recalled the tense situation, saying, "As the World Cup approached, I felt like my performance was improving and that I might get selected, but also that I might not."
He added, "I knelt alone in prayer before the roster announcement and watched the broadcast. My name wasn't on the midfielder list, and with only Son Heung-min and Oh Hyun-gyu left for the remaining spots, I immediately turned off the TV."
Lee Seung-woo also confessed his bitter feelings, saying, "My heart ached greatly for several days. The coach kept coming to watch the last two or three games, and since I scored goals then and had good results, I had high expectations, but it ultimately didn't happen."
Kim Young-gwang, who was listening to Lee Seung-woo's story from the side, comforted him by adding his own long-held convictions. Kim said, "I have always said on my YouTube channel that 'Seung-woo must make it into the national team,' and he added, "It seems the reason he wasn't selected is ultimately the coach's stubbornness."
Kim Young-gwang spared no praise for Lee Seung-woo's abilities. He stated, "Lee Seung-woo is a player who possesses something that existing Korean players do not have," and highly evaluated him by saying, "He has his own unique flexibility and rhythm, and the ability to create differences on the field."
He further remarked, "The national team definitely needs a player who can create such differences. If Lee Seung-woo had gone to this tournament, he would have certainly fulfilled that role," and repeatedly expressed regret, saying, "I thought he should be selected continuously, but strangely, he wasn't."
In fact, South Korea suffered the humiliation of being eliminated in the group stage at the recently concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, hindered by former coach Hong Myung-bo's lack of tactics. Considering that it was a 48-team format and the group draw went relatively favorably, this is undoubtedly a disappointing result. After the failure to renew Paulo Bento's contract following the Round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Jurgen Klinsmann's dismissal, and an interim coaching system, Hong Myung-bo took over in July 2024, but could not prevent the predicted disaster amidst a lack of clear vision and tactics.
Given that Coach Hong's team provoked crises with monotonous attacking patterns, Kim Young-gwang's mention of Lee Seung-woo's absence as someone who "creates differences" may feel even more urgent. There is regret over the possibility that Lee Seung-woo could have played the role of a 'joker' to break through the blocked attack with his unique flexibility and rhythm.
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*This content was translated by AI.
