I still keep my childhood dream, but I have matured even more. Lee Kang-in (24, Paris Saint-Germain) asked for support and interest rather than criticism towards the Korea Football Association and coach Hong Myung-bo.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, defeated Kuwait 4-0 in the final match of the 10th match in Group B of the 2026 FIFA North and Central American World Cup Asian third round qualifiers held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m.

With this, Korea finished the World Cup qualifiers undefeated. The national team ended the final match with a victory, wrapping up the second and third round qualifiers for the North and Central American World Cup with 11 wins and 5 draws, without a single loss. This is a feat not achieved in 16 years since the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

Korea confirmed its entry to the finals early. On the 6th, they won 2-0 in an away game against Iraq, making history with 11 consecutive entries into the World Cup finals. It is the first in Asia and the sixth overall in the world. In Group B, both Korea and Jordan secured direct tickets to the World Cup.

In addition, Korea finished the final match held at home with a big victory, achieving a satisfying end. In the last match of the 2022 Qatar World Cup third round qualifiers, they sadly lost to the United Arab Emirates, but this time they achieved a different result. In the 30th minute of the first half, Jeon Jin-woo opened the scoring, and in the second half, Lee Kang-in, Oh Hyun-kyu, and Lee Jae-sung successively scored.

Lee Kang-in, who was chosen as the player of the match, said after the game, "There were many changes today. Many young players started and worked hard, so I really appreciate it. Also, before the younger players got to play, the older players provided support based on a wealth of experience. Every word they said was very helpful. I also want to thank the fans. I will continue to work hard so that we can become a team that achieves good results and plays well together."

He also expressed his mindset ahead of his second World Cup. Lee Kang-in noted, "Every call-up is special. New players come in, and by playing and living together, I learn a lot. They seem to be players who greatly help and influence my career. Every moment is special."

He added, "In a year, we will participate in the World Cup. The most important thing is that it is a stage that is not easy, so we need to perform well. All players must go in the best condition. Everything must be at its best. We should prepare well over the next year," and added, "Not just me, but no one has been confirmed to participate in the World Cup. Everyone needs to compete and show their best form in their clubs and the national team while doing their best."

What will be different for Lee Kang-in, who is preparing for the North and Central American World Cup after the Qatar World Cup? Lee Kang-in emphasized, "Many things are different. When I prepared for the last World Cup, I hardly played in the final qualifiers and joined at the last minute. At that time, I had to prepare well in my club. I was in a position where I had to grab any opportunities that arose."

He also mentioned, "This time, I participated a lot in the final qualifiers. Because of that, I should communicate a lot with the players about how we can show better performances at the World Cup and achieve better results, and the same goes for the coaching staff," adding, "I think that will help a lot at the World Cup. I don't know who will go, but we need to come together as a team and move in one direction over the next year."

Lee Kang-in, who dreamed of being selected for the national team as a child, winning the UEFA Champions League, and winning the World Cup, now has only the World Cup victory left. Does he still dream the same dream?

Lee Kang-in shared, "When I first participated in the U-20 World Cup, I said that I wanted to reach the finals and win. At that time, many people, not only my teammates, thought it was tough. However, after winning a significant tournament with PSG this time, I feel that it is undoubtedly a difficult dream, but if we all give our best and truly become one team in this remaining year, it may not be impossible."

He added, "There are many things needed, but if we try our best, I think luck will fall on our side even a little. Since it has been my dream since I was young, I don't want to give up. I want to prepare well over the next year and do my best to achieve the World Cup victory that I have dreamed of since childhood."

In order to secure playing time, Lee Kang-in is considering parting ways with PSG. When asked about his future, he stated, "I don't know what will happen in the future. Whether I'm at PSG or with another team, I will always try to show my best and help the team. I have done so until now, and I will continue to do so."

Finally, Lee Kang-in reflected, "In March, I had an injury, and after returning to the club, I had another injury. I couldn't play many games, and I wasn't in good condition. I was called up to the national team in such a state, but the two matches were really helpful for me."

Lee Kang-in added, "Lastly, I don't know if it's okay to say this, but there are many people who attack and criticize the coach and the association. Unfortunately, we are also part of the association, and the coach is our boss. Excessive criticism can impact the players as well. I hope you can see more of the positive aspects. That way, we can do well at the World Cup. I hope you can support us, show interest, and cheer us on as much as possible."

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