Road to Tokyo 2020 via Bangkok
their players to compete in the championships. That will not be an issue for those Koreans who play in the K-League because it is off-season anyway (and even if it was not, allowances would be made) but it could be a problem in Europe for some of the team’s best players.
Lee Kang-in is the star, but it remains to be seen if his Spanish club Valencia allows him to head to Thailand in the middle of the European season. The 18-year-old is becoming increasingly important to the team. Last week he became the youngest non-Spanish player to score for his club.
Lee scored six minutes before halftime to give his team a 3-1 lead over Getafe in La Liga, Spain’s top tier. While the game ended 3-3, it was another sign that Lee is starting to settle into the big time.
The midfielder has been at the club since 2011, joining as a 10-year-old, and made his debut last October.
The recent change of coach may help. Earlier this month, Marcelino was fired despite leading the team into the UEFA Champions League and winning their first trophy since 2008. The Brazilian has been replaced by Albert Calades, who seems to be a bigger fan of Lee and the teenager is getting more game time.
It is all good news for the player. The teenager made his debut for the senior South Korea national team on Sept. 5 against Georgia in Istanbul and is surely going to start getting more and more game time for his country. His Spanish exploits have gone down well in Seoul, but it could make his release this winter more problematic.
Then there is Lee Seung-woo. The former Barcelona attacker now plays in Belgium and with his senior experience will be another big player for Korea.