Son Heung-min "I will support Lee Kang-in to grow"
Lee Kang-in personally visits Son Heung-min to apologize
Son Heung-min, captain of the South Korean national football team, defended his junior Lee Kang-in, who was reportedly involved in a conflict during the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qatar Asian Cup, asking for "forgiveness with a generous heart."
On the 21st, Son Heung-min stated on his Instagram, "Kang-in sincerely reflected on his actions and offered heartfelt apologies to me and all the players on the national team." He continued, "When I was young, I also made many mistakes and showed bad behavior, but thanks to the advice and guidance of good seniors at those times, I believe I am where I am today."
He said, "As seniors and as the captain of the national team, all of us will specially take care of Kang-in so that he never repeats such wrong behavior and can grow into a better person and a better player."
He also said, "I do not think my actions were right and believe they were deserving of criticism," but added, "One of the duties of a captain is to sometimes take unpleasant actions for the team, so even if faced with the same situation again, I would act for the team." He added, "However, I will strive to lead the team more wisely and intelligently in the future."
He emphasized, "Since that incident, Kang-in has been going through a very difficult time. I ask for your forgiveness with a generous heart just this once," and said, "I sincerely ask this as the captain of the national team."
Furthermore, he stated, "The rumors about division within the team are unfounded, and we have always tried to look forward as one team," adding, "Despite receiving much love through football, we sincerely apologize for causing such a disruptive issue, and we will work harder so that the South Korean national team can grow stronger through this experience."
Earlier, Lee Kang-in also revealed on his Instagram that he personally apologized to Son Heung-min. Lee said, "During the recent Asian Cup, my short-sightedness and rash behavior caused great disappointment to Heung-min hyung, the entire team, and football fans."
He continued, "I thought it was important to personally visit Heung-min hyung and sincerely apologize, and through a long conversation, I understood the weight he carries as the team captain and took time to reflect on myself. I would like to thank Heung-min hyung once again through this post for warmly welcoming and accepting me when I visited London."
Meanwhile, the South Korean football team was recently embroiled in rumors of discord. Foreign media reported that Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in had an argument during a dinner the night before the semifinal match against Jordan, and the Korea Football Association acknowledged this. The controversy intensified as reports emerged of a physical altercation between Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in.
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