Amid fierce criticism, "It will be a tonic"... Lee Min-seong's team sets sail for its bid for an Asian Games fourth consecutive title

*This content was translated by AI.

• First match against Qatar on the 15th at 7:30 p.m.

The day of the decisive battle has arrived. The U23 national football team led by head coach Lee Min-seong will play its first match at the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games men's football tournament. This is the team's maiden voyage in an attempt to extend South Korea's consecutive gold medals at the Asian Games to four straight titles.

Lee Min-seong's squad will face Qatar in the first match of Group D of the men's football group stage at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on the 15th at 7:30 p.m. South Korea is placed in Group D alongside Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Unlike the other three groups (Groups A to C), which each contain four teams, Group D has only three teams, reducing the physical burden. Only one team will be eliminated from the group stage, while the top two teams advance to the quarterfinals.

The South Korean national team's lineup is once again impressive for this tournament. The squad features numerous players based in Europe, including Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Kim Ji-soo (Brentford), Yang Min-hyeok (KVC Westerlo), and Park Seung-su (Newcastle United). It also includes a large contingent of K League players such as Kang Sang-yoon (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Park Kyung-seop (Incheon United), Kim Jun-hong (Suwon Samsung Bluewings), and Choi Seok-hyeon (Ulsan HD). Additionally, Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic FC), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), and Lee Gi-hyeok (Gangwon FC), who competed in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, have joined as wildcards (players aged 24 or older).

Given South Korea's unique football context where winning a gold medal grants military service benefits, this squad can be described as nothing less than its absolute best lineup. This stands in stark contrast to many other teams that place little emphasis on the Asian Games. Notably, both Qatar, the opponent in the first match, and Saudi Arabia, the opponent in the second match, are fielding U21 national teams without any wildcards. The gap in team strength is already evident from the group stage onward.

The issue is that Lee Min-seong's team has failed to deliver clear results since its establishment last year. During a training camp in Saudi Arabia in October last year, the team lost two friendly matches 0-4 and 0-2 respectively. Later, at the Panda Cup, it suffered a decisive 0-2 defeat against China. At the AFC U23 Asian Cup in January this year, the team lost to Uzbekistan and Japan, who were two years younger, and was eliminated by Vietnam via penalty shootouts, finishing fourth in the tournament. Even the final pre-Asian Games friendly match against Kyrgyzstan ended in a 0-1 loss. The same reasons explain why public opinion regarding Lee Min-seong's team has been highly critical and why expectations for a gold medal at this tournament are not higher than those for previous editions.

Head coach Lee Min-seong is well aware of this wave of criticism. However, the coach repeatedly emphasized that the disappointing preparation process so far will serve as a "tonic." During a training camp held on the 1st to prepare for the Asian Games, he stated, "In past tournaments, we never went out with a cohesive team structure or unified members. There were regrets, but this will become our tonic." In a press conference held one day before the Asian Games match against Qatar, he added, "The criticism we have received so far will act as a tonic in this tournament."

There is only one way to change the critical atmosphere: winning the gold medal. To achieve this, it is essential to secure a decisive victory in the first group stage match against Qatar and shift the mood. Although the team sets sail for its maiden voyage without widespread support, if it can demonstrate a performance worthy of gold medal expectations from the very first match, criticism will quickly turn into support. One day before the decisive battle, head coach Lee Min-seong expressed his firm determination: "For the past year and six months, I have been running with the goal of winning a gold medal. All preparations are complete." The only thing left is for him to prove that confidence on the field.

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*This content was translated by AI.