"We’re losing and they’re just walking? Are we playing Brazil right now?" Usually composed Lee Young-pyo explodes with anger live on air

[Financial News] "Are we playing Brazil or France right now? We’re losing to players two years younger than us, so why aren’t we running?"
Lee Young-pyo, a commentator for Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) who is known for his calm demeanor, did something highly unusual and burst out in anger during a live broadcast. When words like "I’m angry" and "I just don’t understand" came out of a commentator’s mouth, they perfectly captured the frustration that fans had to swallow for the full 90 minutes.
The South Korea national under-23 football team, led by head coach Lee Min-sung, suffered a 0–2 defeat to Uzbekistan in the third Group C match of the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup held on the 13th (Korea time) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was more than a simple loss. In terms of fighting spirit, tactics, and basic skills, it was a complete collapse – a true disaster.
What angered Lee Young-pyo the most that day was not their "ability" but their "attitude." Uzbekistan, the opponent, had selected a squad with an average age of 19.6, built to prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games, making them on average two years younger than the South Korean side.

Lee Young-pyo said, "At 0–2 down, the players are shying away from physical battles and not running aggressively," adding, "This is behavior that, regardless of generation, is simply incomprehensible for professional footballers," directly criticizing the team.
In the 28th minute of the second half, during an Uzbek attacking move, the ball appeared to have gone out of play, and the South Korean players stopped playing on their own even though the referee had not blown the whistle. The Uzbek players, in contrast, played to the end and found the back of the net.
Watching this, Lee Young-pyo sighed, saying, "Even after conceding again, I don’t see any will to turn the game around. How is it possible that seven players can’t stop three opposing attackers?"
His harsh words continued in a YouTube review that followed the match. "Among all the national team games I’ve watched in recent years, this was the worst performance. The problems are so widespread that it’s hard to single out just one reason," he said, shaking his head.

He went on, "If we had lost to a powerhouse like Brazil or France whose players were two years younger, I’d just feel bad and move on. But to lose this meekly to younger players from Uzbekistan makes me extremely angry."
South Korea recorded 67% possession on the day but managed only a single shot on target. They became obsessed with sterile possession, endlessly knocking the ball backwards without purpose, and then collapsed like autumn leaves at the first sharp counterattack from the opposition.

Lee Young-pyo also expressed concern about the upcoming Asian Games. "Japan, even with a young squad, has scored eight goals in two matches without conceding, while with this level of performance we can’t even be sure of reaching the medal positions, let alone winning gold," he warned, adding, "This match delivered a painfully clear message to all of us."
Thanks to an upset pulled off by Lebanon, South Korea backed into the quarterfinals, but the stinging criticism from a senior figure in the football community laid bare the reality facing Lee Min-sung’s side. Lee’s final plea – "If we do reach the quarterfinals, we must take a lot away from today’s game" – was not just advice, but a warning to South Korean football standing on the edge of a cliff.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter