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| The E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup) match between South Korea and Hong Kong at Yongin Mir Stadium in Gyeonggi Province on the afternoon of the 11th. Lee Ho-jae is cheering after scoring an additional goal. Yongin = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.7.11/ |
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Lee Ho-jae, who was a rookie striker who appeared on the K-League stage in 2021, is growing into a goal scorer that Europe is paying attention to and represents the K-League.
Lee Ho-jae, who has been active in Pohang since his professional debut in 2021, has been a time for growth every season. This season is also showing the harvesting of the results of growth. The pace is better than last season, when he scored nine goals in 22 league games and ended unfortunately due to injury. The league's double-digit score, which was targeted at the beginning of the season, is also on the horizon. He also joined the national team of his dreams. He was included in the starting list of the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship (East Asian Cup) and even made his A-match debut and debut goal.
Ahead of the home game against Suwon FC on the 22nd, Lee Ho-jae opened up about his experience of returning after joining the national team. "I was disappointed in June, but I think I played well in the East Asian Cup even though I was not satisfied. He said, "I'm still trying to do it with confidence."
It was awkward because it was his first call-up, but he spent enough time with his Pohang teammates and his national team teammates to adapt as a national team member. Lee Ho-jae said "Because it was my first call-up, I wasn't very close to other team seniors. (Park) Seung-wook and (Lee) Tae-seok helped me adjust a lot. Through Seung-wook, I was able to have fun getting to know Min-gyu senior and Dong-kyung hyung (I). I learned a lot about how to take care of my seniors and routines"I recalled that time.
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| The E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup) match between South Korea and Hong Kong at Yongin Mir Stadium in Gyeonggi Province on the afternoon of the 11th. Lee Ho-jae is attacking. Yongin = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.7.11/ |
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Taking various advice, Lee Ho-jae grew up in the course of the East Asian Cup. Along with advice, he also relieved the tension and improved as he played. Lee Ho-jae said "Because it was my first call-up, my body seemed to have a lot of strength, so not only the coach but also everyone advised me to relax and play. I played while reflecting on the advice because every day's game is a valuable experience for me. So I think there were some good scenes."
Lee Ho-jae's next goal, who made his first on board the national team, is the World Cup. With this boarding, he set his goal to be able to join the national team until the 2026 World Cup finals in North Korea and the U.S. "My goal is to consistently play for the national team and go to the World Cup. I want to increase my performance to the next World Cup" he expressed his ambition.
It has also been reported that Lee Ho-jae is attracting attention from European clubs this summer. Considering his performance this season, it is a natural interest. However, he did not leave this summer and remained in Pohang. In response, Lee Ho-jae "I made my choice. I also talked to the agent to make a decision. Players who want to go abroad now also consider many things, but there are just a few parts overlapping." It was a careful decision to continue the current performance and aim for a bigger goal.
He tied for fourth in scoring with nine goals in the league this season, and he is still the top scorer in the league. Lee Ho-jae also has a sense of competition for the top scorer. Lee Ho-jae is in a high rank. It is the striker's mind that he wants to aim for the top scorer as well. If you sacrifice for your team on the field, I think (Hong) Yoon-sang, (Shin) Kwang-hoon, and (Ki) Sung-yong will all help you. I have personal greed, but I'm trying to make a helpful play for the team."
Pohang, where legendary Ki Sung-yueng joined this summer. Players who can add great power to the midfield will join, and the offense can become more resilient in the future. About how he felt about playing with Ki Sung-yueng "There are many things to learn. I want to resemble Sung-yong's relaxation a lot. As I continue to play, there are parts that my brother demands in the stadium, and there are parts that I want. If we talk to each other, I think there will be a good synergy."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
