Coach for men's Asian Games football team eyes gold despite recent struggles

The head coach of the Korean men's national football team heading into the upcoming Asian Games expressed confidence in securing the country's fourth consecutive gold medal, despite the squad's recent difficulties. Coach Lee Min-sung will guide Korea's under-23 national team at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, set to commence later this month. The Korean squad aims to repeat their winning streak, with four players who were part of the FIFA World Cup team from this summer now included in Lee's roster.

While there have been challenges, Lee remains optimistic, crediting their past experience for a potential future triumph. During a press conference before the team's training camp at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, approximately 90 kilometers south of Seoul, Lee stated, "We will strive to address our weaknesses and secure the gold medal."

It is important to note that the expectations for the current under-23 generation are modest. In January, Korea participated in the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup, which is considered a significant precursor to the Asian Games. The team managed to beat Iran, Lebanon, and Uzbekistan before falling to Japan, which comprised mostly of under-21 players.