Kang Su-hee, a 20-year-old South Korean football goalkeeper, is set to continue her career in Europe after signing with U.S. Sassuolo, a club competing in Italy’s Serie A Femminile.

Football insiders disclosed on July 25 that Kang Su-hee recently finalized her contract with Sassuolo and has been loaned to FK Spartak, a first-division women’s club in Serbia, for a year to gain valuable match experience. The decision, according to Sassuolo, was made to facilitate her adaptation to European football, given the promising growth trajectory she has shown as a young player.

Standing at 183 centimeters and weighing 72 kilograms, Kang boasts an impressive physique. She has represented South Korea at every youth national team level, making her debut for the U-20 national team at just 16 years old.

Unlike most female footballers in Korea who typically pursue careers in the domestic WK League, Kang chose an unconventional route: she headed straight to Europe after graduating high school in 2023. Her journey has already included stints in the German league with Mainz, in Spain with Club Esportiu Europa, and even in New Zealand, giving her a broad perspective on international football.

In an interview, Kang stated, “I wanted to show that Korean female goalkeepers can break into overseas leagues, and I didn’t want to set my own limits. I intend to keep learning to sustain a long playing career.”

Kang reflected on the fierce level of competition in Spain and realized that mastering English would be crucial to taking on more leagues worldwide. This led her to New Zealand, where she worked to improve both her football skills and her English fluency.

“Although I studied at English academies in Korea, I found I was still lacking in real-life situations,” Kang explained. She recounted that going to local markets and actively engaging with locals were invaluable steps that eventually paved the way for her to receive interest from a Serie A club.

Kang has not yet been capped by the senior national team. However, she expressed her determination, saying, “I hope to establish myself as Korea’s next-generation goalkeeper, and my goal is to surpass my role model, Kim Kyung-hee of Suwon FC Women, and forge my own path.”

On her competitive edge, Kang cited her natural physique and quick decision-making as her main strengths, adding that her bold, confident playing style has been the key to her staying on the field for so long.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Yonhap News