"I wanted to go quickly too." After many twists and turns, Lee Young-jun joined the AG squad and made his debut immediately... "I prepared unconditionally" [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I wanted to go quickly too."

After many twists and turns, Lee Young-jun (Grasshopper), who finally joined the Asian Games national team, played his first match.

The South Korean U-23 Nam Ja-chuk-gu (CEO)team, led by coach Lee Min-seong, defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the final second group stage match of Group D at the Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on the 22nd during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men's football tournament.

Having already secured a spot in the quarterfinals with an 8-1 victory over Qatar in their first group stage match on the 15th, South Korea finished the group stage with two consecutive wins and topped Group D (6 points) by defeating Saudi Arabia as well.

South Korea will face Vietnam, the second-place team from Group C, in a quarterfinal match at the same venue at 7 p.m. on the 25th.

There was another heartwarming scene that day.

The "last puzzle piece" of the national team, Lee Young-jun, finally stepped onto the field. He was substituted in during the 33rd minute of the second half along with Park Seung-soo (Newcastle United) and Hwang Do-yoon (FC Seoul). He played for about 15 minutes until the end of extra time, making his debut in this tournament.

According to the original plan, he should have joined the national team much earlier.

Lee Young-jun, who plays for Swiss professional club Grasshopper, was included in the final roster for this Asian Games. He was originally scheduled to join the national team around the 14th, one day before the first group stage match against Qatar.

However, his departure was repeatedly delayed due to circumstances at his club. Grasshopper, which had been discussing the timing of his joining with the Korea Football Association, could not provide a definite answer amid various variables such as changes in the club's leadership. As a result, Lee Young-jun was unable to play in the match against Qatar.

After the association sent officials to the location for discussions, Lee Young-jun finally arrived in Nagoya on the 21st, one day before the Saudi Arabia match.

This period of waiting was frustrating for Lee Young-jun as well.

In an interview with reporters after the match, Lee Young-jun revealed, "Even while watching the first half, I had a very strong desire to play in the game."

He added, "I watched previous matches from Switzerland, and (Kim) Myung-jun (KRC Genk) played extremely well and fulfilled his role. It's not necessarily that I must be the one playing; since Myung-jun is maintaining a good momentum, it makes sense to continue that flow."

Furthermore, Lee Young-jun explained, "The next match will depend on the coach's decision, but I kept having positive thoughts that Myung-jun, who is currently in good form, would likely bring about another good result."

The process of his delayed joining to the national team was not easy.

Lee Young-jun explained, "I can't say my condition is definitely good."

He continued, "Although I came from far away, I thought the time difference wouldn't be that big. When I exercised yesterday, I felt great and thought, 'I want to train,' but while warming up on the field today, I realized, 'This isn't easy.' It was a bit difficult."

The delay in joining also took a mental toll. Lee Young-jun reflected, "I was completely distracted. The club told me to wait a few more days, and I said I would check with my superiors and get back to them, but that time was very hard for me."

He further stated, "The club's situation wasn't good either. Both my club and the national team are important to me. I think I was busy constantly communicating on both sides."

Nevertheless, contact from his national team teammates was encouraging. Lee Young-jun smiled and said, "Of course, we kept in touch. (Kim) Ji-soo (Brentford) and (Bae) Jun-ho (Stoke City) contacted me so much that it was tiring, but I think they did it because they knew how much I wanted to go quickly."

He added, "Still, it felt good that they kept reaching out to me."

He also maintained consistent communication with coach Lee Min-seong. Lee Young-jun said, "I kept in frequent contact with the coach," and explained, "I continuously heard about the direction the coach is pursuing and the role I need to fulfill upon joining the team."

Coach Lee Min-seong particularly emphasized the role of holding up play at the front line.

Lee Young-jun conveyed, "He considers it very important to hold up play from the top," and added, "He also thinks it's extremely important for the team to function as one."

He is quickly blending in with his national team teammates.

Lee Young-jun laughed and said, "(Lee) Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC) leads the group, and even though the age difference between him and the youngest, Seung-soo, isn't very large, there seems to be a slight generation gap."

He continued, "(Park) Seung-soo is an amazing player. He's fun and cute," and added, "I've known Ki-hyuk since high school, so it's truly remarkable that we're playing together again here."

Practical preparation began immediately after his joining. Lee Young-jun stated, "Although I played for about 15 minutes, the coach kept asking about my condition, and I told him I wanted to keep playing. I also had ongoing conversations with the physical coach."

He further explained, "I also prepared by warming up this morning. Since I was told that if the situation arises, I must be ready to enter, I've been continuously preparing."

Fortunately, since South Korea took the lead early, Lee Young-jun could play his first match with relatively less pressure.

Lee Young-jun said, "Before I came on, Kim Myung-jun and Shin Min-ha (Gangwon FC) scored goals, so I was able to enter with a relaxed mind. That made it good."

Now comes the real competition. Starting with their quarterfinal match against Vietnam on the 25th, South Korea will officially enter the tournament phase. Following victories in the 2014 Incheon, 2018 Jakarta-Palembang, and 2022 Hangzhou tournaments, they are aiming for a fourth consecutive men's football gold medal at the Asian Games.

Lee Young-jun also did not hide his confidence toward winning the gold medal. He emphasized, "We must bring results. One of us will fall, and someone else will win. I absolutely have no intention of losing. We are determined to win."

He further added with conviction, "Everyone is doing their best with sincere hearts. If the players in front give their all, I believe the good players preparing from behind will definitely be able to solve any problems."

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*This content was translated by AI.