Munich: PSG's South Korean midfielder, Lee Kang-in, is on the brink of making history as he aims to become only the second South Korean footballer to win the UEFA Champions League title. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the French champions, are set to clash with Inter Milan in the final of Europe's premier club competition at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. The match is scheduled for 9 p.m. Saturday (4 a.m. Sunday in South Korea). While PSG is in pursuit of their first Champions League trophy, Inter Milan is vying for their fourth.
According to Yonhap News Agency, only one South Korean player, Park Ji-sung, has previously won a Champions League title. However, Park did not play in the 2008 final when Manchester United defeated Chelsea on penalties. Park's omission from the final by then-head coach Alex Ferguson, despite starting both legs of the semifinals, disappointed many South Korean fans. Park did feature in the finals of the 2009 and 2011 tournaments, but Manchester United lost to FC Barcelona on both occasions, with scores of 2-0 and 3-1, respectively.
In 2019, Son Heung-min and Tottenham Hotspur were defeated 2-0 by Liverpool in the final. Lee Kang-in now has the chance to become the first South Korean to play for the Champions League-winning club in the final. However, his participation remains uncertain due to his recent standing with PSG. Lee has played in 11 Champions League matches this season but missed both legs of the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Lee's last official appearance for PSG was on May 10 in a Ligue 1 match against Montpellier, where he played the full 90 minutes for the first time since January. In an interview on PSG's English-language website, Lee expressed his excitement about reaching the Champions League final, describing it as "a reward" for the team's efforts throughout the season.
Lee highlighted the team's unity as a crucial factor for their success, stating, "I think the fact that we're more united, trying to help each other, trying to be a team, working towards the same goal, is what has got us to this stage. I'm sure we'll continue on this path."
For Lee, there is an added layer of motivation with a piece of South Korean football history on the line. Should PSG secure victory, Lee would join Son Heung-min in achieving a remarkable feat, as Son recently won the UEFA Europa League title with Tottenham. This would mark only the second time that two South Korean players have claimed both European continental titles in the same season. In 2008, Park Ji-sung won the Champions League, while Kim Dong-jin and Lee Ho secured the Europa League with Zenit Saint Petersburg.