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Lee Kang-in of the South Korean national team is comforted by coaching staff following the team’s semifinals loss to Jordan at the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar, on Feb. 7. (Yonhap)

This has not been a happy few weeks for the South Korean national football team. After previous issues revolving around its head coach, revelations have now emerged about internal strife among the athletes themselves.

On Wednesday, foreign news outlets, including Britain’s The Sun and Daily Mail, published reports that Tottenham star Son Heung-min suffered a dislocated finger during an argument with teammates at a dinner with the squad on the eve of the team’s recent semifinal match at the Asian Cup.

Son Heung-min races across the field with an injured finger during the semifinals match with Jordan at the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar, on Feb. 7. (Yonhap)

Yonhap News reported that an “agitated” Son had “grabbed Lee Kang-in by the collar.” It also said that Lee had “responded with a punch, which Son dodged.”

The belated revelations of discord among the national team’s players only compound the woes for South Korean football. At a time when head coach Jürgen Klinsmann is being threatened with replacement due to a lack of leadership capabilities, the team is now being rocked by the news of internal discord.

“It’s surprising to hear that key resources in South Korean football were involved [in the altercation],” said commentator Kim Dae-gil.

“There may be cases where younger players disagree and argue, but when things reach the point that it starts getting out, that indicates a problem with management,” he added.
 
Lee objects to captain Son’s orders

According to the foreign press, the row between Son (31, Tottenham) and Lee (22, Paris Saint-Germain) took place at the dinner table on the eve of the team’s Asian Cup semifinal match against Jordan.

Some of the younger team members, including Lee, reportedly finished their meal quickly and began leaving to play table tennis. Son, who wanted to use the occasion for team bonding, ordered them to come back and sit down, and the verbal exchange escalated into a physical confrontation between the senior and junior members.

As the situation quickly erupted, Son intervened and suffered a severe injury to his finger. Senior players subsequently asked Klinsmann to take Lee out of the match against Jordan — but he ended up on the roster anyway.

Now Klinsmann appears poised to face criticisms over his failure to manage the situation among the players at the scene due to a lack of perceived leadership.
 

Head coach Jürgen Klinsmann speaks to the Korean press after returning from the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar. (Yonhap)

Possible factor in poor semi finals performance?

During the semifinal with Jordan, Son played with his right middle and index fingers taped due to the incident. As a result, he appeared to have been unable to maintain his peak physical condition.

The South Korean team failed to pose much of a threat, apart from header attempts by Lee Jae-sung in the first half and Cho Gue-sung in the second. The dismal performance in the 0-2 loss that day was borne out statistically by the zero total of shots on target.

Football experts speculated that the row among squad members the night before was a big factor in the South Korean team’s limp showing.

“They may have been struggling physically, but they had had three days to rest,” said one player with experience competing at the World Cup.

“The team atmosphere has a big impact on matches. No team can win if they don’t establish unity through teamwork,” he stressed.

Cultural difference or disrespect?

Lee Kang-in is considered a promising presence for South Korean soccer. At a young age, he became a member of a Spanish pro football youth team; since then, he has joined Paris Saint-Germain, considered a world-class team.

According to observers, he’s someone who grew up in a relatively free environment, as well being a brilliant player with outstanding dribbling and excellent touch with the ball. Benefiting from muscular strength as well, he has taken on a more important place under Klinsmann’s direction than when Paulo Bento was coach.

But Lee has also faced negative views within the team, where other members see him as a “maverick.” Experts stressed that because football is a team sport, strong individuality is something that can only be accepted within certain limits.

Respect for captains and coaches is also known to be a paramount value in European football. South Korea has looked up to European football as holding a more advanced approach and adopted some of its techniques and systems. But in terms of team culture, generational divides and conflicts have erupted among its members.

Son Heung-min acknowledges fans in the crowd following the team’s semifinals loss to Jordan at the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar, on Feb. 7. (Yonhap)

 
Son shares disappointment after the fact

After a period of soul-searching in the wake of the semifinal loss against Jordan, Son has repeatedly expressed his gratitude and apologies.

When asked about the team’s prospects at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — which will be taking place across three North American countries — he answered that he would “have to think about whether I can be part of the national team going forward.”

Upon his return to Tottenham, he said, “I fell short as a captain and didn’t do a good job of leading the team. I’m thankful and sorry for the fans who have shown so much love.”

Son recently told a news outlet that “it is not nice talking about the tournament again,” an apparent nod to his disappointment with the discord within the team going into the match with Jordan. 

“Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in are key assets that we need to hold onto not just for now, but for the future as well,” said Kim. “They may spat from time to time, but that can be eased if they meet on the pitch. This can’t be allowed to spiral out.”

By Kim Chang-keum, senior staff writer

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