“I’m disappointed because I think I was close, so it’s not going to be easy, but I have to clear my mind more.”

The national team, symbolized by the “Taeguk-mark,” is the dream of any active athlete. But not just anyone can get there. Many athletes dream of it but never make it until they retire. It”s a position reserved for a special few. Despite knowing this, athletes continue to chase their dreams.

Lee Seung-woo (26), a star of the K League 1 Suwon FC, is one of them. Although he has been ‘dropped from the roster’ several times, and has suffered a lot of disappointment and heartbreak, he still pushes himself and dribbles toward his dream. The purpose of Lee’s return to the K League was to make the national team in the first place.

Having tasted the bitter taste of rejection at the threshold of the national team, Lee has been working hard to heal his broken heart and reignite his passion on the field. The ordeal certainly seems to have pushed him to the next level. As he talks about ‘the next challenge,’ 토토사이트 he exudes the aura of a strong man who refuses to give up.

Lee started and played the full match against Daegu FC in the 15th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 29th of this month, and not only that, but he also scored the game-winning goal in the 38th minute of the second half to lead his team to a 2-0 victory. It was Lee’s seventh goal of the season. He is only one goal behind the top scorer, Mugosa (Incheon). In terms of determination, passion, and skill, Lee shined like a comet on this day.

Ironically, it was frustration that drove him to shine.

On June 27, when interim national team coach Kim Do-hoon announced the 23-man roster for the second Asian qualifier for the North American World Cup in North and Central America, Lee’s name was not on it. Lee was heartbroken because he had high hopes after his good performance in the early season. “The A team is a motivating place for any athlete. Naturally, I felt disappointed,” he said honestly.

But Lee didn’t let his disappointment get the best of him. He received a lot of comfort from coach Kim Eun-joong and the team’s seniors, and he quickly regained his composure and vowed to play again. “No matter how much effort you put in, the national team is a place where you have to be ‘chosen’. 안전놀이터 I’m doing my best to be called back at least once under the given circumstances,” he said. ”Of course, I felt disappointed and exhausted. But I think we have to think about the next opportunity and move forward again.”

This is in line with coach Kim Eun-joong’s thoughts. “For sure, Lee Seung-woo was closer to the national team in June than in March,” Kim said. Until the national team roster is announced in September, I want to help him as much as I can, and I think he should try to score more goals in the league,” Kim said, adding that he will fully support Lee’s bid to join the national team in September.

In his third year in the K League,

Lee has certainly shown more maturity and strength this year. After 15 rounds of the season, he is fourth in goals (7) and second in offensive points (9). “In my first and second year, I had a lot of people’s concerns and doubts. I tried not to think about it, but there was a lot of pressure. But this year, I’m a little more relaxed. I think I’m playing better because I’m more relaxed,” he said.

If he continues to perform like this in the second half of the season, there’s a good chance we’ll see his name on the next national team roster. Above all, Lee is eager for the ‘Taegeuk Mark’ himself.

“The most important reason I came back to the K League was to play for the national team. In my first season, I was trying to make the national team for the World Cup, and in my second season, I wanted to go so badly that I did my best. This season is no different. “I think it’s important for me to clear my mind and focus on the league,” he said, “because it’s not easy to clear your mind, but it’s important to focus on the league. It’s not easy to clear my mind, but I want to be on the national team so badly, so I’m focusing hard to clear my mind,” he said, adding that he is determined to make the national team.

“There is a saying that ‘the one who smiles when things get tough is the best. After playing full-time, Lee looked a bit tired. However, 사설 토토사이트 a faint smile remained on his face throughout the interview. The way he used his disappointment as an opportunity to improve showed the power of the ‘real first-class’.