Yang Min-hyeok and All Players in Gangwon FC's No. 47 Lineage Win Gold, Helping Secure Four Straight Asian Games Titles

[Financial News, Chuncheon—Reporter Kim Ki-seop] Five current and former Gangwon FC players, including Yang Min-hyeok, whose match-winning cross helped seal victory in the Asian Games soccer final, combined to give South Korea its fourth consecutive Asian Games title.
According to Gangwon FC on the 4th, five of the 23 players on South Korea's men's soccer team for these Asian Games were current or former Gangwon FC players, accounting for about 22% of the squad. The five were current Gangwon FC players Lee Gi-hyuk, Lee Seung-won and Shin Min-ha, along with Yang Hyun-jun and Yang Min-hyeok, who developed at Gangwon FC before moving to Europe. In particular, Yang Hyun-jun, Yang Min-hyeok and Shin Min-ha—all successive holders of Gangwon FC's No. 47 jersey—won gold medals, bringing exceptional joy to the club and its fans.
The under-23 national team led by head coach Lee Min-sung defeated Japan 1-0 in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games final at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 3rd. Following the 2014 Incheon, 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2022 Hangzhou Games, South Korea won its fourth consecutive edition and extended the record of three straight titles set at the previous Games. South Korea's winning streak against Japan in Asian Games matches also reached six, while its all-time Asian Games record against Japan improved to nine wins and one loss. Twenty of the 23 national-team players became eligible for military-service benefits.
The decisive moment came from Yang Min-hyeok. The 2006-born forward, who made his professional debut at Gangwon FC before transferring to Tottenham Hotspur, appeared to lose possession on the right flank in the 16th minute of the second half. He chased the ball down, won it back and delivered a cross. Japanese goalkeeper Rui Araki dived to punch it away, but Eom Ji-sung collected the loose ball, beat a defender and found the net with his left foot. Yang Min-hyeok had been judged below expectations throughout the tournament, but his determination changed the momentum in the most important match against Japan.


The other two players in the No. 47 lineage also made their contributions. Yang Hyun-jun, the first player in the lineage, joined the team as a wild card and started the opening group-stage match against Qatar, leading the attack from the flank. Shin Min-ha, who currently wears No. 47, scored the opening goal in the 22nd minute of the second half in the final group-stage match against Saudi Arabia on the 22nd of last month, heading in Eom Ji-sung's free kick. South Korea went on to win 2-0 and advance to the quarterfinals as group winners. Shin Min-ha also started the final and helped secure the title without conceding a goal.
The midfield belonged to Gangwon FC's current duo. Lee Gi-hyuk, selected as a wild card and named captain, overcame an injury to start the final and anchor the midfield alongside Lee Seung-won. Lee Seung-won, who had already completed his military service, broke into the right side of the penalty area during first-half stoppage time against Qatar and delivered a precise pass to Eom Ji-sung, setting the 4-1 victory in motion. Along with Lee Gi-hyuk, who anchored the national team at both the World Cup and the Asian Games, the five current and former Gangwon FC players wrote a new chapter in South Korean soccer history.
The gold medal is being viewed as the result of Gangwon FC's sustained investment in player development. Yang Hyun-jun and Yang Min-hyeok won the K League Young Player of the Year award while wearing the Gangwon FC jersey, while Lee Seung-won received the same award last year. Shin Min-ha, who continues the No. 47 lineage, also proved his competitiveness on the international stage.
After the match, Yang Min-hyeok admitted that he had felt frustrated throughout the tournament and that his confidence had fallen considerably. However, he said he was very happy that a play he created led to Eom Ji-sung's goal and the team's victory. He added that the gold medal had given him an opportunity to grow further, saying, "It will also be a great help in regaining the confidence I had lost."

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