Fans show up in droves to watch Lee Kang-in's Atletico Madrid debut

Fans flocked to Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 9 to witness South Korean footballer Lee Kang-in make his debut for Atletico Madrid. The high-profile match saw the Spanish club take on Manchester City in a preseason game. As a second-half substitute, Lee played for 30 minutes in the 3-1 loss. A fan favorite, Lee had joined Atleti in late July after three seasons with Paris Saint-Germain.

Hailing from Spain, Lee began his professional career at Valencia's youth academy and made his La Liga debut at 17. Prior to PSG, he played for RCD Mallorca. Due to administrative issues, Lee wasn't able to leave South Korea after signing with Atleti and made his first appearance before around 50,000 fans. This preseason match was part of the Coupang Play Series, which brings European football clubs to South Korea each summer.

The first match drew a smaller crowd of about 28,000 fans compared to Sunday's enthusiastic turnout. Lee's solid fan base was evident as they formed a sea of red and white behind their team's goals, chanting and cheering for their new player. When Lee replaced a starting player in the 63rd minute, the stadium erupted in applause.

Although Lee didn't score, his offensive abilities were on display, with two attempts hitting the post. After the game, Atletico Madrid honored Lee with an on-field introduction ceremony, with former Atletico striker David Villa presenting him with the team's jersey.