Lee Kang-In has made history as the first South Korean player to win the UEFA Super Cup, not only securing this prestigious trophy but also netting a crucial, destiny-defining goal in the final.

On August 14th (Korean time), Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), with Lee Kang-In on their roster, emerged victorious against Tottenham Hotspur in a dramatic penalty shootout at Italy’s Stadio Friuli, clinching the 2025 UEFA Super Cup.

With this win, PSG claimed their first-ever UEFA Super Cup title in the club’s history. For Lee Kang-In, the victory adds yet another trophy to his growing list of career achievements.

After Son Heung-Min’s recent departure, Tottenham’s captaincy passed to Cristian Romero for this trophy match—the first final for Spurs in the post-Son era. Despite the loss, Tottenham put up a strong fight, dominating much of the match’s tempo. Micky van de Ven opened the scoring in the 39th minute, followed by a header from Romero in the second half.

PSG’s comeback kicked into gear late in the match, with Lee Kang-In supplying the much-needed breakthrough.

Starting on the bench, Lee Kang-In was substituted in for Warren Zaïre-Emery in the 67th minute and began to turn up the pressure on Tottenham. The magic moment came in the 85th minute, when Lee received a pass from Vitinha near the penalty arc and sent a powerful left-footed shot into the net, rejuvenating PSG’s hopes.

Lee then went on to score a crucial penalty in the shootout, helping to secure PSG’s historic trophy.

For Lee Kang-In, the goal was significant—coming after weeks of swirling transfer rumors suggesting he was not part of Luis Enrique’s plans. Yet, after the match, manager Luis Enrique was seen joyfully embracing Lee, recognizing his pivotal role in PSG’s dramatic triumph.

Since joining PSG in 2023, Lee has played both as a starter and substitute but seemed to be losing the battle for a starting spot amid fierce competition from the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Désiré Doué, and Ousmane Dembélé. Recent French media speculation had predicted a summer transfer for Lee.

However, with no concrete moves on the table, Lee seized the moment to prove his value with a stand-out performance on one of European football’s biggest stages.

Ironically, Lee’s heroics came against Tottenham, a squad now missing Son Heung-Min due to his recent transfer to the United States—making way for another Korean footballer to shine.

Football statistics outlet ‘FootMob’ rated Lee 7.5—the third highest on his team, behind Vitinha (8.0) and Ousmane Dembélé (7.9). British media, including the BBC, praised Lee’s stunning goal as the “lifeline” for PSG, giving him the team’s second-highest match rating, and highlighting his decisive impact.

Sports media ‘GiveMeSport’ was similarly effusive, calling Lee’s strike “superb” and lauding the goal as pivotal to the match’s outcome. The outlet gave Lee a top team rating of 7.5, crediting him for sparking PSG’s comeback.

Lee Kang-In has now added the UEFA Super Cup to an already illustrious resume, which includes the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Trophée des Champions—rewriting the record books for Korean footballers abroad.

Meanwhile, PSG will open their 2025-26 Ligue 1 campaign against Nantes at Stade de la Beaujoire-Louis Fonteneau on August 18th.

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

Photo=Yonhap News, Lee Kang-In SNS, PSG SNS