"The perfect successor to Griezmann" Lee Kang-in has thoroughly captivated Spain: "A new Atletico hero has emerged"

*This content was translated by AI.

Just 13 minutes into his debut, a wonder goal sent Spain into a frenzy. The new No. 7 for the prestigious Spanish club Atletico Madrid, Lee Kang-in (25), immediately earned full praise from local media in his official debut and rose as the team's hero.

On the 20th (Korean time), major Spanish outlet Marca highlighted Lee Kang-in's performance extensively under the headline "Atletico calls for a new hero."

Marca, which featured the article on its homepage, reported: "Atletico was blocked by Malaga's tight defensive wall as it tried to turn its La Liga return match into a celebration, failing to find any opening for over an hour after kickoff. Then, Lee Kang-in, who came on as a substitute, skillfully evaded defenders with dazzling feints and then scored with a spectacular curling shot that perfectly disrupted the game's balance. Metropolitano has found a new hero."

Marca further praised: "Lee Kang-in, who constantly threatened the goal whenever he got an opportunity while upholding the honor of the No. 7 shirt left by Antoine Griezmann, finally broke through the tightly sealed deadlock in the match."

Even Spanish outlet AS headlined its article with the exclamation "Urala, Lee Kang-in!" expressing admiration. The outlet stated: "Lee Kang-in transformed the entire game for Atletico just 13 minutes after stepping onto the pitch. His opening goal, which turned a frustrating match into a victory while wearing No. 7 and scoring beautifully and decisively, evoked memories of Griezmann's prime days when he scored with his foot."

AS continued: "Like Griezmann, Lee Kang-in is a player who unleashes immense creativity in tight spaces and tangled game situations. He is a true footballer who knows how to raise the tempo of the match and destroy opponents with vertical breakthroughs. Malaga painfully confirmed that he is by no means just a player for selling jerseys. Although Griezmann has left, a perfect successor has appeared at his No. 7. The number 7 fits Lee Kang-in perfectly, like a tailored suit."

In fact, in recent times in Spain, there was no shortage of prejudice and skepticism toward Lee Kang-in. This stemmed from suspicions that he might simply be a marketing acquisition aimed at tapping into the Asian market, given that he inherited the No. 7 shirt from Griezmann, who is the club's all-time top scorer and considered its greatest legend.

However, Lee Kang-in silenced all controversies with his flawless performance just 13 minutes into his debut. As if aware of this, Atletico's official social networking service (SNS) also posted a photo of the goal-scoring moment immediately after Lee Kang-in scored, accompanied by the bold and provocative question "Do you have any opinions? (¿Opiniones?)," delivering a satisfying rebuke to critics.

F.J. Diaz, AS's Atletico editor, also wrote in his column: "Lee Kang-in is an extremely humble and classy player who declared from day one that he would dedicate himself solely to the team." He further pointed out Julian Alvarez, the attacker who recently caused controversy, saying: "Julian, look at Lee Kang-in. You must learn from his humility and dedication on the pitch if you want to win over fans' hearts."

Starting from the bench, Lee Kang-in was substituted in during the 73rd minute of the second half and scored the winning goal with a sharp left-footed curling shot in the 85th minute. He continued to captivate home fans with precise penetrating passes and smooth pressure-breaking moves, perfectly leading his team to a 2-0 victory and securing all three points in the opening match.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.