Can Lee Kang-in show his true self on the field?

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Iraq in the third round of the qualifiers, Group B, on the 6th at 3:15 a.m. at the Basra International Stadium in Basra, Iraq. After that, they will return home to play their final qualifying match against Kuwait on the 10th at 8 p.m. at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.

The Hong Myung-bo team departed for Iraq via a charter flight through Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 2nd. A total of 21 out of 26 players, including captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham), flew out. Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who won the UEFA Champions League the day before, along with Kwon Kyung-won, Won Du-jae (both from Kor Fakkan), Jo Yu-min (Sharjah), and Park Yong-woo (Al Ain), joined the team directly in Iraq.

Korea currently leads Group B in the 2026 FIFA North and Central American World Cup Asian third qualifying round with 4 wins, 4 draws, and 16 points. Jordan is in second place (13 points), while Iraq is third (12 points). The national team can secure its 11th consecutive World Cup qualification by adding just one more point in the remaining two matches.

Ahead of the departure for the match against Iraq, coach Hong Myung-bo said, "We're at the final stretch. There are two matches left. This is a critical time for securing a World Cup ticket. Overall, compared to the past, the players' condition is somewhat challenging. However, players who are doing well in the K League and those returning from Europe are not severely affected in terms of their condition. They say they feel fine."

He added, "Of course, the environment in Iraq will present significant challenges, but we will prepare to conduct good training over the next two days to perform well in the match." He noted, "The weather will exceed 40 degrees. None of our players have experienced that. Nonetheless, the weather has been quite hot in the last week or two. This will help somewhat in acclimatization."

They must also overcome Iraq's home advantage. The unstable situation in Iraq has led to a travel ban, meaning that neither supporters nor the press can accompany the team. Coach Hong Myung-bo vowed, "There will be significant support for the opposing team. However, there are experienced players among our squad. I will make sure everyone keeps that in mind before the match."

Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in, who was part of PSG's European treble (Ligue 1, domestic cup, Trophée des Champions, UEFA Champions League), joined the national team the latest. In the first half of the season, Lee Kang-in was close to being a starter and during the latter part of the season and most of the Champions League tournament, he was relegated to the bench.

Although Lee Kang-in played in 45 official matches with PSG, he started only 26 games, and in the Champions League, he started only 4 matches. He did not have the opportunity to play in the finals against Inter Milan (5-0 victory), which meant he had to swallow his disappointment while lifting the trophy. Lee Kang-in is eager for playing time.

PSG hopes to re-sign Lee Kang-in, but the player himself desires more opportunities to play. Consequently, several clubs that are interested in Lee Kang-in are approaching him. Among them, Napoli is the most proactive. Reports indicate that Napoli has made Lee Kang-in their top target for the summer transfer window.

Lee Kang-in, who joined the national team last, has maintained his training while experiencing lesser playing time during matches. Compared to that, not having played in the finals may have lessened his physical burden. It is also likely that he has mentally equipped himself to demonstrate the regret of not participating in the finals on the field.

When departing from Incheon Airport, coach Hong Myung-bo addressed questions regarding playing form, saying, "Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Kang-in trained sufficiently until last week. This week, they came to Korea and rested while engaging in individual training. I don't think their physical condition will deteriorate significantly."

As coach Hong Myung-bo stated, it is worth noting whether Lee Kang-in will be able to properly showcase his value on the field.

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