final goal in the ATM game’ was unexpected luck, has come to fruition
These are the words Lee Soon-min (Gwangju FC) uttered when he received a lot of attention for his winning goal against Atletico Madrid. It’s different this time. It was based on persistence rather than luck, and I was able to wear the Taegeuk mark. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on the 28th the roster of the A national team for the European away evaluation match against Wales-Saudi Arabia in September. Among the key players such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Lee Soon-min took a proud seat.
Lee Sun-min, who joined Gwangju in 2017, left to fulfill his military service obligations without making his debut match. He returned in 2020 after completing military service with the Pocheon Citizen Soccer Team and played two games. At that time, Gwangju advanced to Final A for the first time in its history and finished 6th, the highest ranking ever.
Lee Soon-min, who was in charge of side defense in the early days of joining Gwangju, showed his presence by transforming into a central midfielder. He was praised for wearing clothes that fit him with his vigorous activity, blocking ability, and sharp mid-range shooting.
Starting with 28 games in 2021, he has been steadily active as the main axis of the team. Last year, as vice-captain, he participated in 32 games and led the team to promotion. He was also selected in the K-League 2 Best 11 and his value was recognized. 안전놀이터 Last July, he played against Atlético as part of Team K-League. He led the team to victory in the K-League with a dramatic final goal in extra time in the second half.
At the time, Lee Soon-min said through ‘E-Daily’, “I think the impact of one match against Atletico is stronger than what I have been doing for 7 years.” He said, “It will definitely be a good stimulus for spending my soccer life,” but showed a calm appearance, saying, “I don’t expect that one game will change something drastically and become a different person.”
As he said, one game did not lead to selection for the A team. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann said about the background of Lee’s selection, “He is a player who has been consistently active in the K-League.”
In addition to Lee Sun-min, Kim Ji-su (Brentford) and Kim Jun-hong (Kim Cheon Sang-mu) enjoyed the honor of being selected for the first time in the national team. However, the temperature difference with Lee Soon-min is clear. Kim Ji-soo and Kim Jun-hong are promising players who participated in the U-20 World Cup last summer. Coach Klinsman also said, “The two players were selected to see the possibility of growing into the future of the national team rather than immediately feeling strong.”
On the other hand, Lee Soon-min, born in 1994, entered the competition right away. Of course, if you think of Lee Soon-min, you won’t be greedy right away. He was the one who said, “If he goes back to his daily life and works hard, he will be able to show his progress with good energy.”
Lee Soon-min throws up his challenge with his strong weapon of steadfastness and accumulated skills. Lee Soon-min said, “I am happy to be able to achieve the honor of being the first Taegeuk mark with a team called Gwangju.”