Kangin Lee Becomes Second Korean to Win UCL Trophy After Park Ji-sung
Did Not Play in the Final, Like Park Ji-sung in 2008
PSG Clinches First UCL Title in 55 Years and Achieves Quadruple
Kangin Lee has become the second Korean player, following Park Ji-sung, to win the 'Big Ears' UEFA Champions League (UCL) trophy. It has been 17 years since a Korean player last lifted the UCL trophy, after Park Ji-sung did so with Manchester United in the 2007-2008 season. However, like Park Ji-sung in the 2007-2008 season, Kangin Lee did not play in the UCL final match in which his team won the title.
Kangin Lee's club, French professional football team Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), decisively defeated Italian professional football club Inter Milan 5-0 in the 2024-2025 UCL final held at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 1st (Korean time). PSG secured their first UCL title in the club's 55-year history. PSG is the second French team to win the UCL, following Marseille in the 1992-1993 season. PSG achieved the 'quadruple' this season by winning Ligue 1, the Super Cup, the Coupe de France, and the UCL, claiming victory in every official competition they entered.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) players, including Kangin Lee (third from left), are cheering while holding the championship trophy after decisively defeating Italian professional football club Inter Milan 5-0 in the 2024-2025 UCL final held at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 1st (Korean time), securing their first UCL title. Photo by EPA Yonhap News
Kangin Lee was included in the squad list for the final but remained on the bench throughout the match. He was unable to play from the UCL quarterfinals onward, having lost out in the competition for a starting spot.
In the 2007-2008 season, Park Ji-sung was not even named in the squad for the final. Manchester United also reached the UCL final in the 2010-2011 season, and at that time, Park Ji-sung became the first Korean player to start in a UCL final, but the team finished as runners-up after losing 1-3 to FC Barcelona.
In the UCL final between PSG and Inter Milan, Desire Doue led PSG to victory by recording two goals and one assist.
Doue assisted Achraf Hakimi's opening goal in the 12th minute of the first half. Then, in the 20th minute, he scored a goal himself with an assist from Ousmane Dembele, being involved in both of the team's first-half goals.
With PSG securing an early lead, Doue scored an additional goal in the 18th minute of the second half with a pass from Vitinha, followed by goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the 28th minute and Mayulu in the 41st minute, sealing a comprehensive victory.
Korean football produced two European club competition winners this season, including Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, who won the UEFA Europa League (UEL), the second-tier European club tournament.
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