The 'grandfather' who was amazed by the volley from '6-year-old Lee Kang-in'... Park Ji-sung recalls his first meeting 19 years ago during a commercial shoot: "He was already in a different league back then"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Park Ji-sung (45), a legend of Korean football, expressed unwavering faith and affection for his junior national team teammate Lee Kang-in (25, Atletico Madrid).

The Spanish outlet Marca conducted an exclusive interview with Park Ji-sung on the 13th (Korean time).

The publication described Park Ji-sung as "a pioneer of Korean football who lifted 12 championship trophies in seven years at Manchester United and became the first Asian to win the UEFA Champions League."

Park Ji-sung stated, "Lee Kang-in is the most technically gifted player in the history of Korean football," adding, "I am curious to see how far he can go on the world stage," without hiding his anticipation.

Lee Kang-in, who recently left Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to don the Atletico Madrid jersey, is playing a pivotal role at his new club. Park Ji-sung said, "This transfer is an excellent opportunity for Lee Kang-in to take another step forward," and added, "I hope he does not remain merely my successor, but leaves his own distinct mark on European football as a representative of Korea and Asia."

Marca introduced that the special bond between the two dates back to when Lee Kang-in was 6 years old. The outlet noted, "Lee Kang-in, who had already stood out on a football variety show at the time, traveled to Manchester, UK, to shoot a commercial with Park Ji-sung," and detailed an anecdote in which "in the commercial, Lee Kang-in portrayed Park Ji-sung during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup match against Portugal, while Park Ji-sung played the role of coach Guus Hiddink," highlighting their long-standing connection.

Park Ji-sung recalled, "The potential I saw in Lee Kang-in firsthand at that time far exceeded my expectations. It was a talent of a different dimension that any player would envy." He added, "While talent does not guarantee success, seeing Lee Kang-in's exceptional passion made me certain that he would achieve great things. I advised him to keep working hard back then."

Currently, Lee Kang-in has taken over the number 7 jersey previously worn by Atletico legend Antoine Griezmann. Park Ji-sung assessed, "It may be difficult to fill the void left by a club legend in the short term, but in the long run, Lee Kang-in has more than enough potential to do so."

He also stated, "I hope he grows into a world-class 'Lee Kang-in' rather than becoming a second Griezmann," emphasizing, "Just as no one predicted Son Heung-min's title as the English Premier League (EPL) top scorer, Lee Kang-in also has the potential to achieve tremendous feats."

Regarding the upcoming UEFA Champions League match on the 14th between his former club Manchester United and Lee Kang-in's Atletico Madrid, he shared his candid thoughts. Park Ji-sung said, "Korean fans will likely support Atletico, but I would like to see Lee Kang-in perform brilliantly while Manchester United takes the victory," revealing his affection for Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Park Ji-sung, who transitioned into sports administration after retirement, is currently serving as a member of the K-Football Innovation Committee Gong Dong-wi (Director), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), among other roles, dedicating his efforts to the development of world football.

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

*This content was translated by AI.View Original