Lee Kang-in substituted out → Japanese media reports late substitution... Rivalry between close friends of the same age falls through

*This content was translated by AI.

The highly anticipated matchup between Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid) and Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), two 2001-born Korean-Japanese best friends competing in Spain's top-flight La Liga, has been canceled.

On the 14th (Korean time), Lee Kang-in started in the match against Real Sociedad at Estadio Municipal de Anoeta in Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain, for the fifth round of the 2026-2027 La Liga season, while Kubo began the game on the bench.

Lee Kang-in threatened the opponent's goal with a sharp left-footed shot just five minutes into the first half and provided a precise cross to set up a teammate's header in the 25th minute, demonstrating his presence in the attacking third. However, he failed to record an offensive point and struggled against intense pressure from the opposition before being substituted in the 15th minute of the second half. He recorded one shot and achieved a passing accuracy of 68% (15/22).

As Kubo did not get a chance to enter the game until Lee Kang-in was substituted, their head-to-head matchup ultimately fell through. Kubo finally stepped onto the field in the 27th minute of the second half, about ten minutes after Lee Kang-in's substitution. Over his 18 minutes of play (based on regular time), Kubo recorded a perfect passing accuracy of 100% (5/5) and created one scoring opportunity but failed to take a shot. He touched the ball only seven times.

Lee Kang-in and Kubo both began their soccer journeys studying in Spain during their childhood, gaining recognition for their talent and quickly emerging as future stars of Korean and Japanese football, respectively. Being born in 2001, they were naturally seen as comparison subjects and rivals, yet Lee Kang-in and Kubo have maintained a close relationship, even remembering each other's birthdays. During their time at Mallorca, they even shared meals together.

With the matchup between Lee Kang-in and Kubo canceled, reactions to the team results varied. Atletico Madrid struggled throughout the match against relentless pressure from Real Sociedad but managed to break the deadlock in the 39th minute of the second half when Alejandro Grimaldo converted a penalty kick awarded after an opponent's handball foul. Later, taking advantage of Real Sociedad pushing their line forward while under pressure, Atletico Madrid launched counterattacks in the final moments of the match and scored consecutive goals, securing a 3-0 victory.

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

*This content was translated by AI.