UK Media: "Son Heung-min Quarrels with Lee Kang-in Before Jordan Match... Cause of Finger Injury"

Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), captain of the South Korean national football team, is at the center of controversy following claims that he injured his finger during an altercation with younger players, including Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), ahead of the AFC Asian Cup semifinal. On the 13th (local time), British media outlet The Sun reported, "South Korea suffered a shocking defeat to Jordan in the Asian Cup semifinals, and team captain Son Heung-min dislocated his finger during a scuffle with teammates the night before the team's elimination."

On the 6th (local time), Son Heung-min expressed regret after South Korea lost 0-2 to Jordan in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup semifinal held at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. In the match, Son Heung-min played with a bandage on his finger.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

원본보기 아이콘

Son Heung-min actually played in the semifinal against Jordan on the 7th with his finger bandaged. He also had the same treatment during the English Premier League (EPL) match against Brighton & Hove Albion, his club team, after the Asian Cup elimination on the 11th.

Regarding the injury, The Sun claimed that Son Heung-min had a dispute with the younger players of the national team during dinner the night before the semifinal. In particular, the younger players, including Lee Kang-in, finished dinner quickly to enjoy playing table tennis, which Son was reportedly unhappy about, as he believed the meal should have been a time for team bonding before the semifinal. This led to an argument between Son and the players, during which Son's finger was dislocated.

The Sun quoted a source saying, "Some of the younger players finished their meal very quickly and left to play table tennis," and "Son Heung-min rudely told them to come back and sit down." It added, "The players quickly rushed back to the dining area, and while trying to calm them down, Son severely injured his finger."

Furthermore, The Sun explained, "South Korea's defeat was completely unexpected. Surprisingly, South Korea did not record a single shot on target in the semifinal. Son Heung-min had to play the match with two fingers on his right hand bandaged. Even after returning to Tottenham over the weekend, Son continued to play with his finger bandaged." Earlier, in an interview with the British media outlet Evening Standard on the 12th, Son said, "I don't want to talk about the Asian Cup again," adding, "It was a hard result to accept, but this is part of football."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.