Munich: Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has become just the second South Korean to win the prestigious UEFA Champions League title. PSG routed Inter Milan 5-0 in the final of the top European club competition at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Desire Doue had a brace, while Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu each scored a goal for the victorious side. Lee joined former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung as the only South Korean players to be crowned a Champions League winner.
Lee did not play in the final, missing his fifth consecutive Champions League match starting with the opening leg of the quarterfinals. PSG made several substitutions during the match, but Lee did not get the call, although he was on the substitutes' bench. This contrasts with Park's experience in 2008 when he was a spectator during Manchester United's victory over Chelsea, despite having started both legs of the semifinals.
Park played in the finals of the 2009 and 2011 tournaments, but Manchester United lost to FC Barcelona on both occasions. With PSG's dominant victory, Lee made another piece of South Korean football history.
Tottenham Hotspur and their South Korean captain Son Heung-min won the second-tier UEFA Europa League title on May 21. Son and Lee are now just the second set of South Korean players to win both of the European continental titles in the same season. In 2008, when Park won the Champions League title, countrymen Kim Dong-jin and Lee Ho claimed the Europa League trophy with the Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg.
This was PSG's fourth trophy of this season. They had earlier completed the domestic treble by winning the Ligue 1, French Cup, and French Super Cup titles.