In France, Lee Kang-in is highly praised

This is the story of Lee Kang-in. He completely dominated the first match of 2024. PSG Paris Saint-Germain beat Toulouse 2-0 at the 2023 French Super Cup Trope de Champion held in Paris, France on the 4th

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"Trope de Champion" is a single match between the French Ligue 1 team and the French Cup champion. PSG, which won the French Ligue 1 title last season, and Toulouse, which won the Cup, faced off on the same day.

Lee Kang-in was the hero of the match. Lee also postponed the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar for the Super Cup. When players from Europe, including Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan, joined the Korean national team after the last match in December, Lee remained in France. He did so to give PSG the trophy.

PSG also rushed to get Lee to play. After all, the team decided to send Lee Kang-in to the national team after playing in the Super Cup. Lee started the Super Cup and led the team's offense.

Lee Kang-in showed off his presence from the beginning of the game. PSG's first goal came from Lee Kang-in's toes three minutes into the game. Usman Dembele broke through the right side and crossed for Lee Kang-in. Lee Kang-in calmly finished and hit the net. It was Lee Kang-in's third goal this season and PSG's first goal in 2024.

PSG completely took the lead with Lee Kang-in's first goal. Toulouse shook Paris Saint-Germain with an intermittent counter attack, but goalkeeper Donnarumma was outstanding. PSG hit Toulouse's side in three minutes and shook it like a scoring pattern. It was a scene that would cool Toulouse's blood even if it was not an effective shot. PSG pressured Toulouse with a high ball share.

Lee Kang-in was active at the waist and aggressive, supporting firepower. He exchanged one-two passes with Barcola and penetrated into the Toulouse camp. He tried to create opportunities by steadily tearing down the side.

He also had good chemistry with fullback Hakimi. When Hakimi attacked Toulouse with a straight line, he got off one block below and prepared for shooting. Hakimi Pass seemed to be stuck on Lee Kang-in's toes, but unfortunately, he missed a bit and failed to shoot.

Lee Kang-in showed influence in the overall PSG attack. This time, it was a collaboration with midfielder colleague Vitinha. When Vitinha crossed, he caught the ball with chest trapping, making Toulouse nervous and aiming at the net with a fantastic Caesar's skill.

PSG also had a crisis. Despite Lee Kang-in's outstanding performance, he allowed space behind the scenes, giving Toulouse a chance to shoot. This time, however, Mbappe displayed outstanding performance as a key striker. After rushing boldly into the box in the 44th minute of the first half, Mbappe displayed his best decisiveness in Europe by looking at the shooting angle and finishing accurately.

Lee added wings to PSG's attack with set pieces. In the second half, he also led Paris Saint-Germain's attack by playing with Mbappe and Hakimi. Coach Luiz Enrique sent Marco Asensio, Randal Colo Muani and Veraldoo to make changes to the ground, but Lee Kang-in continued to play until the end. On the day, Lee Kang-in led PSG by playing full time. After the match, he was named the MVP of the competition by the French Super Cup, adding to his glory. It was lifted six months after his transfer to PSG.

Lee Kang-in's performance was also highly appreciated in France. According to the soccer statistics media "Foot Mob," Lee Kang-in's rating was 8.3 points, the highest among midfielders. Mbappe, who scored his second goal, and Donnarumma, who continued to make remarkable saves, scored 8.4 points, while Ashraf Hakimi recorded the highest rating with 8.8 points. The French version of "90min" said, "It was a remarkable performance ahead of his participation in the Asian Cup. Lee Kang-in got a Dembele pass three minutes into the match and hit the net. Lee Kang-in was highly mobile and played well with Barcola. He even attempted a threatening one-two pass in the 30th minute of the first half."

In the first half alone, Lee Kang-in recorded 100% 2/2, two shots 2 effective shots, and one opportunity creation. In addition, he boasted a success rate of 96% 26/27, a success rate of ground ball competition 75% 3/4, and a long pass success rate of 67% 2/3.

Lee Kang-in will now head to Abu Dhabi where the Korean national team will be located. He is expected to start from the first match between Korea and Bahrain, which will begin on May 15.

Lee Kang-in left Mallorca last summer to move to PSG. He started pre-season work after an A-match in June, but suffered a muscle injury in the first match against Le Arv. Despite poor team atmosphere due to Mbappe's transfer, he started the opening match and adapted to Luis Enrique's tactics. However, his muscle injury was another problem ahead of the A-match in September. Lee was not called to the A-match in September, and made all-out efforts to recover from his muscle injury. After recovering from his injury, he elevated his sense of play in matches while playing in UEFA Champions League, and participated in the Hangzhou Asian Games while allowing him to be called to play at PSG. At the A-match in October, he replaced Son Heung-min's absence as a key player in the Korean national team. After perfectly developing his form, Lee was flying in the French stage. He displayed good teamwork with key striker Mbappe to post an offensive point, and became a player that the French Ligue 1 secretariat is paying attention to.

His performance in the national team became a medicine for Lee Kang-in. After PSG came, he showed an edge in the main competition. The performance got better as the days went by. The influence within the team also grew.

In the first half of this season, he eventually became a star player of PSG. He was one of the top 11 players in the first half of this season's Ligue 1 by French magazine Recipe and soccer statistics magazine Huskord. This was the result of averaging the ratings recorded from the opening to the 17th round. Although he was a fullback, it was one of the objective indicators that Lee Kang-in displayed strong influence in his debut match in France.

Now, PSG is worried about Lee Kang-in's absence. After the winter break, PSG will go on an away match in France from July 15. Starting with the 21st round of the French Ligue 1, Lee Kang-in cannot be utilized to enter the second half of the year. Originally, Lee had to leave for Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 2 to join the camp for the Asian Cup finals, but he even participated in the French Super Cup amid coach Jurgen Klinsmann's consideration.

It is a huge blow for PSG. "Lee Kang-in will join the Korean national team for the Asian Cup," French media Foot Mercato said. "PSG will miss Lee Kang-in a lot," adding, "Lee Kang-in scored a perfect start in the French Super Cup. Lee Kang-in played with Barcola around PSG's attacks. He had a fantastic bicycle kick in the middle of the first half. The first goal scene showed Lee's performance this season."

Another French media outlet, "Get French Football," also said, "It shook the net just three minutes into the game. Lee put pressure on Toulouse with his amazing bike kick. Compared to his performance that fell at the beginning of the season, his performance is the exact opposite. He showed outstanding performance up until right before joining the Korean national team for the Asian Cup. He is an all-round midfielder at PSG."

Coach Luiz Enrique is using Lee Kang-in as a midfielder or winger. He has one goal and two assists in 10 matches in the French Ligue 1 and one goal in five matches in the UEFA Champions League. In the first half of the 2023-24 season, he scored two goals and two assists in 15 matches, consolidating his position as a key player in Paris Saint-Germain.

He is highly trusted by Enrique. At a press conference ahead of the league's 18th round match against Mets, which was the final match in the first half of the first half, Enrique said, "Lee Kang-in is probably a little unfamiliar to those who do not follow La Liga in Spain. Lee Kang-in is probably a little unfamiliar to those who do not follow La Liga in Spain. He is a Korean superstar. We met Lee this summer, but he is a really important player for us. He can play left and right wings, midfielder and many positions."

"Lee Kang-in is also excellent in defense. He is a player who knows how to sacrifice himself for his team. It is amazing that a young player has so many strengths. Lee Kang-in can play in various positions. He can play as a fake No. 9 striker in certain matches. He has the best technique in Europe. He has a good personality and fits well with his teammates. He is a player who has everything." Lee gained confidence by blasting the official Men of the Match MOM, his third goal of the season and the final goal.

Immediately after winning the title, Lee shared his joy with his PSG teammates. In an interview with the broadcast, he said, "I had a desire to win the title even before the game. I always try hard to help my team and colleagues. I feel better and I am very happy to join this team."

"I wanted to bring the French Super Cup. Even before the match, I had a desire to win. I always tried to help the team, and I tried really hard. Playing with the best players in the world helped me a lot. I'm trying to learn a lot from my teammates. I'm happy at PSG. I wanted to win even before this match. I'm happy to win and I want to enjoy the day. I always try to help the team and train hard. I try to learn from good players. I'm so happy for PSG."

PSG has made 15 previous appearances in the French Super Cup. In the previous season, it also held the trophy in the 2022-23 season, showing its competitiveness. On the other hand, Toulouse competed only once, but failed to beat Paris Saint-Germain in second place. PSG has 11 Super Cup titles in France. After beating Toulouse at home, PSG won its 12th Trope de Champion, the most ever. It was a milestone following victories in 1995, 1998, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022.

The French Super Cup started in 1955 under the name of the Challenge de Champion, but it was discontinued in 1973. However, it was re-established in 1995. 메이저사이트