S. Korea captain thanks teammates for sacrifice at U-20 World Cup

As South Korea's captain at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina, midfielder Lee Seung-won led with his words and deeds.

Lee was South Korea's lone scorer in their 3-1 loss to Israel in the third-place match at La Plata Stadium in La Plata. He finished with team highs of three goals and four assists. The combined total of seven is the highest ever by a South Korean player at a male FIFA tournament.

And at every turn throughout the tournament, Lee tried to deflect the spotlight from himself and share the glory with his teammates. It was no exception in the aftermath of South Korea's final match of the tournament.

"It's been thanks to the sacrifice and dedication of my teammates that I was able to put up those numbers. The credit goes to them," Lee said. "I want to be able to keep improving."

Lee said he was "relieved" to have finished the World Cup without regrets, despite the defeat at the hands of Israel.

"It's been a difficult journey over the past year and a half," Lee said. "I'd like to thank our coaching staff for guiding us this far."

Lee said he spoke to his teammates before the match about leaving everything on the pitch. And afterward, Lee told them to keep their heads high.

"I am sure this tournament served as an important learning experience for all of us," the 20-year-old said. "And if we continue to work on our game with our respective clubs, I am sure we will meet again on the national team later."

Lee signed with Gangwon FC of the K League 1 last December but has yet to make his top flight debut, having only appeared in the fourth division so far.

"I had some good moments at the World Cup here, but I could also see where I needed to improve," he said. "I will address those shortcomings and try to be someone that can help Korean football at tournaments like the Asian Games and the Olympics."

Center back Kim Ji-soo also said he wants to take the next step after this tournament.

The 18-year-old defender for Seongnam FC had been one of the few known names among football fans entering this competition. Last year, Kim became the youngest player to appear in a K League 1 match. Then earlier this year, Seongnam said Kim had received an offer from the Premier League side Brentford.

"Just playing in a tournament like this was a great opportunity for me to grow. I was thankful for an opportunity to play with such great teammates in front of big crowds," Kim said. "This all felt like a dream, and I don't think I will have another opportunity like this again. I am now motivated to reach an even bigger stage after this."

Goalkeeper Kim Joon-hong, who played in six of South Korea's seven matches in Argentina, said he cherished the chance to play on a regular basis, after not doing so for his club back home, Gimcheon Sangmu FC.

"Be it game management or handling crosses, I feel I have so much work to do all across the board," Kim said. "I was able to grow from this experience, and I think it'll be important to keep building on this foundation." (Yonhap)