Grateful Lee Kang-in vows to keep improving for Atletico Madrid, nat'l team

Seoul, August 9 (Yonhap) — South Korean international Lee Kang-in made his debut for Atletico Madrid in a preseason match against Manchester City at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The 29-year-old, known as one of South Korea's most beloved football players, joined the Spanish club a month after being invited to South Korea as part of the Coupang Play Series in late June.

Lee, who spent three seasons with Paris Saint-Germain and previously played for Valencia CF and RCD Mallorca, made his first appearance for Atletico Madrid in the 63rd minute of the 3-1 loss to Manchester City. He expressed his gratitude to the fans for their presence in the hot weather and emphasized his commitment to continuous improvement as an athlete and a person.

"I have high expectations for myself this year and I am looking forward to this season," Lee said. "I am surrounded by great players here and I wanted to put on a good performance from my first day. I am sure our chemistry will get better as we keep playing together."

The left-footed player clarified that he is comfortable playing in any position for the team, as long as he can contribute. Lee also took the opportunity to ask his fans to support both Atletico Madrid and the South Korean national team, which he felt had been performing poorly since before the World Cup. He apologized for South Korea's elimination from the group stage and expressed his determination to make fans happy and rekindle their love for the national team.