The Third Star After Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae... Now Is Lee Kang-in’s Moment, Surpassing Even Kubo

[Financial News] Lee Kang-in has finally reached the top. On the 17th (Korean time), at the 2025 AFC Annual Awards held in Riyadh, Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (PSG) was named the AFC Asian International Player of the Year.
This award, given to the Asian player who shines brightest on the international stage each year, has now been engraved with Lee Kang-in’s name, following Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae. It marked the sixth time that Korean football has claimed this trophy.
Lee Kang-in’s performance in the 2024-2025 season went beyond statistics. Wearing the PSG jersey, he appeared in 49 official matches and scored 7 goals. He was at the heart of PSG’s triumphs in Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League (UCL), as well as their runner-up finish in the FIFA Club World Cup (FIFA CWC)—standing at the center of Europe’s biggest stages. His 6 goals in 30 league matches were impressive, but even more striking was his presence in orchestrating the rhythm of the game. Few Asian players have secured the unique role of ‘playmaker’ in PSG’s midfield. From this rare position, Lee Kang-in demonstrated his football philosophy even amid the highest level of pressure and pace.

The competition for this award was intense. The final nominees included his close friend Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad de Fútbol and Iran’s Mehdi Taremi, who moved to Olympiacos F.C. Statistically, Kubo had a slight edge with 7 goals in 52 matches, but the AFC delivered a clear message: "Winning is the true measure of ability." Amid PSG’s trophy haul, it was Lee Kang-in’s brilliance in decisive moments that swayed the votes.
Just as he shone again against Paraguay after the defeat to Brazil, Lee Kang-in is always a player who rides the rhythm of comebacks. While Son Heung-min opened the door for Asia, Kim Min-jae has guarded it, and Lee Kang-in is now forging a new path within it.
If Son Heung-min was the star on the scoreboard, Lee Kang-in is the ‘conductor’ who changes the entire atmosphere of the pitch.
His football is emotional, yet logical at the same time. A midfielder where passion and calculation intersect perfectly—this is precisely why the AFC chose Lee Kang-in as the Asian International Player of the Year.
This award is not a finish line, but a starting point. The competition for a starting spot at PSG remains fierce, and his position in European football is only now being solidified. One thing is clear: Lee Kang-in is no longer just a ‘prospect.’ He has already become the third symbol of Korean football, following in the footsteps of Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae.
And now, the world is waiting to see the next chapter he will write.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter