Midfielder Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) of the Korea men's national soccer team conveyed an apology and gratitude to fans after wrapping up the World Cup journey.
On the 1st, Lee said on his Instagram, "I am deeply grateful to everyone who sent sincere support and encouragement to me and the national team during the World Cup."
He added, "I also want to say I am truly sorry," and said, "I am really sorry that we delivered the pain of defeat, not the joy of victory."
Lee did not hide his disappointment over the tournament ending earlier than expected. He said, "Was it too much of a wish to want to share this festival even one day longer? The ending was beyond imagination, so accepting it now is harder than ever," and added, "But I believe the moment will come when we accept this as a part of life."
At this North and Central America World Cup, Lee started in the group stage Group A opener against the Czech Republic and the second match against Mexico. However, he did not play in the final group match against South Africa and watched from the bench.
After the tournament ended, a scene during the South Africa match that appeared to show Lee Kang-in signaling to the coaching staff to bring on Lee Jae-sung as a substitute spread on social networking services (SNS), becoming a hot topic among domestic soccer fans.