In a single act, fans understand that Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in no longer harbor any lingering tensions. The altercation between Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in was once a topic that rocked the sports community in South Korea for a considerable period. During this recent training session, the media notably observed the reunion of both players. However, due to differing schedules, there was limited interaction between the two.
Nevertheless, in a recent match between South Korea and Thailand, this star duo had a moment that caused a sensation. In the early stages of the second half, Kang-in set up a goal for Son Heung-min. Immediately, the 23-year-old midfielder ran towards his senior teammate to celebrate. In response, Son also spread his arms wide to embrace his junior. This moment was swiftly shared by South Korean netizens. Many felt reassured, believing this demonstrated that both players had fully reconciled.
“All arguments have dissipated. It’s delightful to see the two stars of the South Korean team reconnect,” one commentator remarked.
“They will now become a duo that opponents must be wary of once again,” another account added.
After the match concluded with a 3-0 victory for the South Korean team, both players continued to embrace each other while celebrating with the fans. “It’s been a while since I’ve hugged Kang-in. He’s truly wonderful,” Son shared.
As the international matches conclude, Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in will return to Europe today (March 27) to prepare for the upcoming matches this weekend.
According to Yonhap, the internal altercation within the South Korean national team occurred on February 6, ahead of the Asian Cup 2023 semi-final against Jordan. After dinner, a group of three young players, including Lee Kang-in, wanted to play table tennis.
However, Son Heung-min disagreed, leading to a confrontation with Lee Kang-in. Some sources revealed that Kang-in allegedly punched his senior teammate in the face. In the attempt to intervene, a teammate inadvertently injured Son’s hand.
The incident, exposed by The Sun on February 14, shook the South Korean sports community. Kang-in faced much criticism following the incident, even losing endorsements from some brands. Kang-in later apologized to Son and other teammates on the national team. Despite this, Coach Hwang Sun-hong decided to call up both Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in for this training camp. Both players returned to South Korea on March 18 and 19, respectively.