S. Korean midfielder vows to stay with nat’l team until 2022 World Cup

PAJU, South Korea, Oct. 10 (Yonhap) — South Korean midfielder Lee Jin-hyun said Wednesday that he wants to stay with the national team until the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Lee is one of the 25 players selected by head coach Paulo Bento for upcoming friendly matches. South Korea will host Uruguay in Seoul on Friday and will face Panama in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, four days later.

Lee, who plays for Pohang Steelers in the K League 1, is looking for his senior debut in the October friendlies. The 21-year-old has represented South Korea at the under-20 and under-23 levels, but this was the first time he has earned senior team selection.

“I’m one of the youngest players on the roster, and I want to show the spirit of youth,” Lee told reporters at the National Football Center in Paju, north of Seoul. “I will absorb good things from my senior teammates in this training period.”

Lee had a busy year before joining the senior side. After giving a good performance at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, he moved to Austria Wien on loan. But he failed to impress and returned to Pohang in July. Then in August, he was named South Korea’s roster for the Asian Games and helped the U-23 side to win a gold medal.

“I experienced lots of things in a year,” he said. “But I felt grateful every day and I know I need to make more improvements.”

Lee said he is ready for the competition for a starting spot and will display his strengths in the upcoming friendlies.

“My strength is that I can build up a team’s attack in the middle,” he said. “I’m also confident with my left foot, so I’ll make good passes.”

When asked about Bento, Lee said he is a coach who cares about details.

“Bento especially cares about the building up process,” he said. “Since Uruguay are expected to fully use their players, we’ll have to give more than 100 percent effort.”

This file photo, taken Oct. 9, 2018, shows South Korean midfielder Lee Jin-hyun training at the National Football Center in Paju, north of Seoul. (Yonhap)