Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and '92 Line' representative Lee Jae-sung (Mainz 05) dream of a final finale.

On the 11th, Lee Jae-sung, who appeared on the YouTube channel 'Captain Pachoo' operated by Park Joo-ho, said, "I don't know when I became a veteran player for the national team. I think I have about a year left as a national representative. I am preparing and challenging myself with the resolve that the upcoming 2026 North America World Cup will be my last."

Born in 1992, Lee Jae-sung, who leads the national team alongside Son Heung-min, first donned the Taeguk mark in a friendly match against Uzbekistan in 2015. He has since experienced major international tournaments, including the 2018 Russia World Cup, 2019 UAE Asian Cup, 2022 Qatar World Cup, and 2023 Qatar Asian Cup. So far, he has participated in 98 A-match games, leaving only 2 matches to reach the 'Century Club.'

Having dominated the K League with Jeonbuk Hyundai, Lee Jae-sung challenged the European stage by transferring to Holstein Kiel in the 2. Bundesliga in Germany in 2018. He moved to Mainz in 2021 and has been consistently active in the Bundesliga (first division). Recently, the German football magazine 'Kicker' ranked him 8th among attacking midfielders for the second half of the 2024-25 Bundesliga season.

Lee Jae-sung has consistently demonstrated competitiveness on the European stage. In particular, he achieved even more valuable results last season and was recognized as a top-level player in Europe. Mainz secured a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) this season by finishing 6th in the Bundesliga last season.

For Lee Jae-sung, who is in his third season at Mainz, it will be his first experience in a European competition. He stated, "I have high expectations for the upcoming season as it is my first European competition. I am thrilled at the prospect of facing teams from other continents."

Lee Kang-in, also born in 1992, is nearing retirement age, just like his peers Son Heung-min and Kim Jin-su (FC Seoul). Regarding his retirement from the national team, Lee Jae-sung noted, "I am preparing with the thought that the North America World Cup will be my last. Of course, anything can happen in football, but my current plan has a one-year deadline."

If Lee Jae-sung participates in the North America World Cup, it will be his third World Cup, following the 2018 Russia World Cup and the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He expressed his sincere desire, saying, "I want to bring greater joy to football fans in the upcoming North America World Cup and achieve a glorious exit as a representative player."

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