![[Foto] Winter vistiendo la bandera de Corea | STARNEWS](https://www.mogazmasr.com/uploads/2026/06/12/estadio-guadalajara-9ca9787c_800w.webp)
Lee Kang-in joined South Korea’s World Cup camp on 1 June 2026 and was in line to be part of the squad for its group-stage match against the Czech Republic at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan on 11 June.
The timing matters because South Korea entered that game in second place in Group A, with the Czech Republic in third, and Lee arrived with added attention after Paris Saint-Germain had just won the UEFA Champions League final the Saturday before he reported.
For South Korea, the 24-year-old midfielder offered a creative lift in a match that could shape the group standings. He was listed among the team’s players to watch after a 2024 season in which he finished with six goals and six assists, and after appearances at the AFC Asian Cup 2024 and in Asian World Cup qualifying. Those performances helped explain why he remained one of the most closely watched names in the squad even as the tournament shifted to Mexico.
There was also a small but telling delay behind his arrival. Lee was the last player to report to camp because PSG had been involved in the Champions League final only days earlier, a reminder of how tightly club success and national-team duty now run together for elite players. South Korea had the benefit of his form, but it did not get him until club commitments were done, and that made his late entry part of the story before a ball was kicked.
What followed on 11 June was the next test: South Korea against the Czech Republic at Estadio Guadalajara, with both teams entering the match separated by one place in Group A. The result was not stated, but Lee’s arrival ensured South Korea carried another attacking option into a game it could not afford to waste.
