‘Most technically gifted player South Korea has ever produced’ – Manchester United legend Park Ji-sung hails Lee Kang-in as potential Atletico Madrid icon

Recalling their initial encounter when the playmaker was just six years old, the decorated midfielder reflected: “Kang-in was already famous as a child, so I really wanted to meet him and was curious about what kind of kid he was. However, there were other children at the shoot, so I couldn’t focus entirely on him.

“Since then, like everyone else in Korea, I’ve watched him grow. Seeing a young boy become the player he is today makes me want to support him. Korean fans truly view Lee Kang-in as special. He was famous for his exceptional skills and had already appeared often on TV, but seeing him in person, his potential was far greater than I expected. He was probably a player with talent that all athletes would envy. I was convinced he would play at the highest stage and remember telling him to keep working hard.”

Addressing the burden of stepping into Griezmann’s shoes at the Metropolitano, he insisted: “It’s no surprise Lee Kang-in is adapting well at Atletico Madrid. I see it as the start of another leap forward. Filling the void left by a great club legend in a short time is extremely difficult. However, in the long term, Lee Kang-in has enough potential. If he continues to prove himself on the field, I believe he can become a legend himself. I hope Lee Kang-in becomes a ‘world-class Lee Kang-in’ rather than a ‘second Griezmann.’ Few expected Son Heung-min to win the Premier League Golden Boot, but he did. Lee Kang-in has the same potential.”