Lee Kang-in (24, Paris Saint-Germain) will challenge for the world champion after the European champion. It is an unprecedented challenge to win five gold medals in 未聞.
PSG will face Chelsea in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, at 4 a.m. on July 14 (Korea time).
PSG have had a fantastic season. PSG reached the top of the 2024-25 season in Ligue 1, France, Coupe de France and Trope de Champion. PSG also won the UEFA Champions League (UCL), a long-cherished dream. PSG impressed the world of football by defeating Inter Milan 5-0 in the UCL final of the 2024-25 season.
If PSG wins the Club World Cup, it will achieve five gold medals.
This Club World Cup is the first tournament to change the scale.
Thirty-two teams representing each continent are participating in this competition to determine the best team in the world. Previously, only seven teams participated.
The total prize money for the 2025 Club World Cup is $1 billion (about KRW 1.37 trillion).
If PSG beats Chelsea in the Club World Cup final, it will win $40 million (W55.1 billion).
According to the British ‘Guardian’, PSG coach Luis Enrique said this ahead of the Club World Cup final against Chelsea.
“It’s the last game of the 2024-25 season. We can lift another trophy here. It’s not an easy task. It’s going to be very difficult. We need to recognize how difficult the Chelsea match will be. I admire Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca. Chelsea are a very strong team. Chelsea ranked fourth in the English Premier League (EPL) in 2024-25. Chelsea won the UEFA Conference League. Chelsea are an aggressive team capable of strong forward pressure and build-ups. It’s never an easy opponent. We’re going to end the historic season with 100% focus.”
PSG faced Botafogu (Brazil), Atletico Madrid (Spain), and the Seattle Sounders (USA) in Group B of the Club World Cup.
PSG was also hit by Botafogo, but it reached the round of 16 as the top of the group.
PSG beat Inter Miami (USA), Bayern Munich (Germany), and Real Madrid (Spain) in succession to reach the final in the tournament. In particular, PSG won a perfect victory over strong contenders Munich (2-0) and Real (4-0) with a flawless performance.
Coach Enrique said, “It’s really important to finish every season,” adding, “The final is always divided between winners and losers.”
Coach Enrique continued, “Football has 11 stars to play. The stars of our team are all 11 players who come out on the field. The team is the star. We won four gold medals as a team that doesn’t rely on one player. We will continue to walk ‘the path we want to go’ he said.
Lee Kang-in, a key member of the Korean national soccer team, is playing in PSG.
Lee Kang-in scored six goals and six assists in 30 Ligue 1 games this season. He also played in 11 UCL matches, 3 Coupe de France, and 1 Trope de Champion. In this club World Cup, he has one goal in four games.
Lee Kang-in has been completely pushed out of the main competition from the second half of the 2024-25 season. In the Club World Cup, he played four games as a substitute. Lee Kang-in played for a total of 60 minutes in four games.
If Lee Kang-in plays against Chelsea, he is likely to play as a substitute.
Lee Kang-in was listed as a substitute in the UCL final of the 2024-25 season, but he did not get on the ground.
Attention is focusing on whether Lee Kang-in will be able to play in the final of the Club World Cup and contribute to his team’s world championship.
[Lee Geunseung, MK Sports Reporter]
