Valencia's Lee Kang-in makes history with La Liga debut

South Korean soccer player Lee Kang-in made his debut in La Liga, replacing Valencia left winger Denis Cheryshev in the 87th minute in a 1-1 draw with Real Valladolid on Saturday. Amid Valencia fans' cheering him with high hopes, the 17-year-old ran three minutes in the second half and four additional minutes, impressing the stadium with a sharp left-footed cross and an untiring cross-field run.

Lee made history with his short run in the home game at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia on the day. At the age of 17 years and 327 days, he became the youngest foreign player to make a La Liga debut in their history, Valencia CF announced after the game.

The South Korean player has grown significantly thanks to the team's strong trust in him. Left-footed, he is equipped with competent dribbles, explosive speed and passing skills. Given that Valencia conditioned 80 million euros for a buyout last year, he is recognized as a highly promising player.

"I am proud that I played a game in front of home fans and some Korean fans at the stadium," Lee said. "I will do my best to give joy and excitement to fans."


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com