*This content was translated by AI.
Lee Kang-in, the ace of the South Korean national football team, has directly revealed behind-the-scenes stories regarding his transfer to Atletico Madrid in Spain.
Spanish outlet AS reported on the 17th (Korean time) that "Lee Kang-in finally appeared at an official event wearing Atletico's red and white jersey" and added that "Lee Kang-in held his official signing ceremony at the Liya Air Metropolitano arena, becoming the third player signed by Atletico this summer."
According to reports, the signing ceremony was attended by Spanish football legend and current Atletico advisor David Villa, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo, Carlos Buscero, head of football, among others. The media highlighted that "Lee Kang-in's friends and family filled the audience seats."
Lee Kang-in said, "I am truly happy to join such a big club. I want to start quickly and help the team," adding, "I want to win many titles. I came here with the ambition to win everything."
He continued, "This will be a special day not only for me but for everyone at Atletico. I heard that Atletico fans are the best in the world. I heard they are always by the team's side," and added, "I want to show the fans that I am a player who can help the team a lot."
Lee Kang-in began his professional career in Valencia, Spain, then played for Mallorca (Spain) before donning the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) jersey in 2023. After experiencing three league titles and two UEFA Champions League (UCL) titles with PSG, he embarked on a new challenge at Atletico this summer.
Regarding his reason for choosing Atletico, Lee Kang-in explained, "The first thing I thought of was the club itself," adding, "I have known since childhood how big a club Atletico is. From the moment I received word from my agents about Atletico's interest, all I could think about was joining Atletico."
He further stated, "I wanted to win. I came with that mindset and ambition," emphasizing, "The most important thing is to help the team and work hard. If we do that, we will be able to bring a lot of joy to the fans."
In particular, during the process of deciding on the transfer, the presence of Atletico's 'legend' Koke had a significant influence. Koke, who came through Atletico's youth system, is an iconic player for the club who has played there for many years. Koke directly contacted Lee Kang-in, which helped strengthen Lee Kang-in's decision to join Atletico.
Lee Kang-in revealed, "Koke was one of the very important reasons for me deciding to come to this team. Koke contacted me directly, and that helped me make the decision."
He added, "Of course, not only Koke but also other players and the coaching staff provided a lot of help. Koke is a club legend who has played for Atletico for over 10 years," and said, "I am learning a lot from him as well. I want to help the team for the fans."
He also shared his impressions of working with Diego Simeone. Lee Kang-in explained, "Compared to my previous teams, what felt most different was Coach Simeone's passion," adding, "The coach has immense passion and drive, and he conveys it directly to the players."
He further added, "The few days I spent with the team were extremely intense. But I really enjoyed the way the team approaches football itself. I am happy to be working with the coach."
Returning to the Spanish stage also carries special meaning. Lee Kang-in said, "After leaving Spain, I thought many times that I wanted to play in Spain again someday," adding, "It is where I grew up. I am really looking forward to playing in La Liga again."
He did not forget his debut match for Atletico in Seoul. Lee Kang-in stated, "Making my debut for Atletico in Seoul after joining the club was a special thing. It is a day I will never forget," and expressed, "I hope Atletico becomes the club among Madrid teams with the most Korean fans."
Finally, what Lee Kang-in emphasized until the end was 'winning'. He said, "Atletico has excellent players," and showed confidence by stating, "This season we will win in many tournaments. I want to bring a lot of joy to Atletico fans."
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*This content was translated by AI.
