Lee Kang-in's Brilliance Key for South Korea, Yellow Card Cautioned

Lee Kang-in has emerged as the linchpin of coach Hong Myung-bo's South Korean national football team, being the only attacking player to complete full 90 minutes in both of the team's 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. South Korea secured a 2-1 victory against the Czech Republic in their first match but suffered a 0-1 defeat to Mexico in the second.

In both games, Lee Kang-in started as the right-sided attacker, spearheading the team's offensive build-up. His impact is quantifiable: against the Czech Republic, he achieved a perfect 100% pass completion rate (38/38), recorded three key passes, five successful dribbles, and won ten duels, even assisting Hwang In-beom's equalizer. Facing Mexico, despite facing tight marking, he maintained an 88% pass success rate (49/56), delivered three key passes, four successful dribbles, and made 14 passes in the attacking third, earning the highest rating among Korean players from football statistics site FotMob.

Lee Kang-in's true value shines when the game becomes stagnant. Against Mexico's aggressive pressing, he frequently dropped deep into midfield and defense to retrieve the ball and initiate play, even participating in the build-up from the backline. His creativity was evident against the Czech Republic with through passes to Son Heung-min and effective wide play.

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We did our best to win, but it's very disappointing. It's already in the past and cannot be changed. I want the next game to come quickly so we can show a good performance and get a good result.

However, managing his yellow card is a critical concern. Lee Kang-in, the most fouled Korean player (57 times), received a caution against Mexico. With one yellow card rescinded after the group stage and quarterfinals, accumulating another would sideline him for the Round of 32. This makes his approach in the upcoming match against South Africa crucial, as midfielders Paik Seung-ho and defender Lee Ki-hyuk also carry a yellow card.

"We did our best to win, but it's very disappointing," Lee Kang-in stated after the Mexico match. "It's already in the past and cannot be changed. I want the next game to come quickly so we can show a good performance and get a good result." He added, "I always think about how I can help the team the most. I will prepare well to be of great help to the team in the next game as well."

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I always think about how I can help the team the most. I will prepare well to be of great help to the team in the next game as well.