 |
| Photo =Mayorka SNS Capture |
|
Son Heung-min hit Mauricio Pochettino. Now Lee Kang-in will meet head coach Javier Aguirre.
South Korea's national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, is set to play a friendly match against Mexico at Geodys Park in Nashville, Tennessee on the 10th (Korea time). Mexico (13th) is a powerhouse in Latin America, ahead of South Korea (23rd) in the FIFA rankings.
South Korea started the A-match in September in a good mood with a 2-0 victory over the U.S. in the first game. Son Heung-min took the lead. Son Heung-min broke down the U.S. by shooting his 52nd A-match goal after 10 months and 3 consecutive games since the match against Palestine (1-1 draw) in November 2024. The U.S., led by Pochettino, Son Heung-min's teacher during his time at Tottenham, collapsed due to Son Heung-min's 'one-man show's performance with one goal and one assist. As a result, Pochettino's rumors of his replacement were also fueled.
Despite the disappointment of the result after the match, Pochettino called Son Heung-min "A player like my son"We faced Son Heung-min, one of the best strikers in the world today," he praised. However, regarding the overall economic situation, he made remarks that were far from reality, saying, `We did better than Korea.'
Now it's Lee Kang-in's turn. The coach who leads Mexico is Aguirre. Coach Aguirre from Mexico is a veteran leader who has played for several clubs including Japan, Egypt, Atletico Madrid, Osasuna, Real Zaragoza, Espanyol, and Leganes. In particular, he performed well with Lee Kang-in in Mallorca.
Lee Kang-in left the club due to problems with Valencia at the time and was able to play on the La Liga stage by holding the hand of Mallorca, who reached out on a free contract. In the 2022-2023 season, Lee Kang-in blossomed in Mallorca. He played as the team's ace at the time and led Mallorca's struggle. Based on his performance in Mallorca in the summer of 2023, Lee Kang-in could wear a big club representing Europe, Paris Saint-Germain uniform. For Lee Kang-in, he is no different from a teacher like a benefactor who saved him at a time when his career could be broken.
Following Son Heung-min and Pochettino, attention is bound to be paid to the teacher-student confrontation between Lee Kang-in and Aguirre. The Mexican version of Marca sheds light on the face-off between Korea and Mexico and cannot leave out Lee Kang-in of PSG. Luis Enrique's fast speed and ability to utilize space will effectively target the Mexican defense,' he said, expressing caution.
Lee Kang-in is also likely to start. Lee Kang-in, who played as a substitute due to an ankle sprain problem during the last U.S. match, was left with a hamstring injury, and his responsibility for midfielders and attacks became heavy. Since Lee Kang-in, who has been the core of the Korean national team's offense since Hong Myung-bo took office, Lee Kang-in's performance is inevitably important to win against Mexico.
The face-off between the A-match students in September is attracting everyone's attention. Attention is focusing on whether to follow Son Heung-min's example or whether his teacher will laugh this time.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
