Lee Jung-hyo's 'Pick' Suwon's 'New 25-Year-Old Captain' Kang Hyun-mok: "I was once weak and even wanted to give up..." [On-site in Seongnam]

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Kang Hyun-mok (25), who wore the captain's armband for Suwon Samsung for two consecutive matches, scored in both games to lead the team's charge toward the top of the table.

In an away match against SeongnamFC at Seongnam Comprehensive Sports Complex on the 25th at 2 p.m., Suwon won 2-0 in Round 30 of the Hana Bank K League 2 2026 season, thanks to Kang's decisive goal in the 26th minute of the first half and an own goal by the opponent late in the second half.

Following his one goal and one assist in the previous match against HwaseongFC, Kang scored in both matches while wearing the captain's armband. In a post-match interview as the player of the match, Kang said, "There are not many games left. The atmosphere has been good since training," adding, "Although our players are young, they had the passion and mindset of veterans, which allowed us to win."

In the buildup to the opening goal, he displayed a rabona pass before rushing into the box and heading the ball into the net. Describing the scene, Kang said, "Passing with my left foot would not have created an angle. I had tried passing that way a few times in training, so it came out habitually." He continued, "I was even joking around doing rabona kicks during warm-ups. Then Lebon's cross was excellent, so I cut inside, and the ball hit my head perfectly to result in a goal."

He also conveyed the weight of wearing the captain's armband for the first time since his professional debut. Kang stated, "This was the first time I have worn the captain's armband as a pro. The coach's words telling me to become a leader resonated deeply with me," adding, "I began to think deeply about how to prepare for matches and how to lead the team."

Regarding assessments that his performance has peaked since taking on the armband, Kang replied, "Honestly, I am not sure if it has had an impact, but I feel a great sense of responsibility." He added, "If you exclude the foreign players and senior Jung Ho-yeon, I am likely the oldest. A strong sense of responsibility naturally arises."

Having passed through his days as the youngest player on the team, he now finds himself in a position to lead younger teammates. Kang said, "I still feel young myself. I do not strongly feel the age gap, so I worry about how to approach them, and sometimes we just get swept up running together on the field." However, he noted, "In static situations or set pieces, I try to speak more to my juniors. There is no other way to express it than to say that a tremendous sense of responsibility has developed."

He continued, "Honestly, I was weak last year. There were moments when I wanted to give up." He added, "But I completely changed my mindset. I paid attention to every aspect, from training to diet, and those efforts seem to be paying off little by little now."

At the same time, second-place SuwonFC lost, further increasing the possibility of direct promotion. However, the team's atmosphere remains calm. Kang said, "It is true that we are not far from promotion. But rather than hoping for others to slip up, we must prepare for every match as if it were a final." He emphasized, "We maintain the tension that we could slip up at any time. The team is not yet excited. We will thoroughly prepare day by day, watching videos with the coach and coaching staff on how to win."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original