On September 22, the South Korean national football team held its second training session at the Korea Football Park in Cheonan. Around 3 p.m. local time, all 28 players, except Oh Hyeon-gyu and Kim Min-su, reported to the Korean national team coached by Moreno. With the arrival of these two players, Moreno will have a full squad by September 23.

The Korean national team will face Ecuador at 8 p.m. on September 24 at the Suwon World Cup Stadium, followed by matches against Uruguay on September 28, Venezuela on October 2, and Uzbekistan on October 6. During the international breaks in September and October, Korea will play four consecutive matches.

Around 3:15 p.m. that day, Lee Han-beom, a center-back for Club Brugge in Belgium, and Song Min-kyu, a midfielder who recently transferred to Nacional da Madeira in Portugal, gave media interviews.

Song Min-kyu was interviewed after Lee Han-beom. After joining Nacional da Madeira for the 2024-25 season, he finally realized his dream of becoming "a player competing in European top-flight football." Despite his current club's less-than-ideal form, Song Min-kyu is working hard toward his goals.

Song Min-kyu began: "I'm very honored to return to the national team after several years. This time, I was called up by the new head coach, and I hope to thoroughly understand and execute his demands to make a good impression."

He continued: "I arrived quite late last night, so I haven't had any private conversation yet. I think I'll speak with the coach tonight."

Immediately after joining Nacional da Madeira, Song Min-kyu was called up to the national team again. About this, he said: "When I learned I was selected for the national team once more, I felt both grateful and honored. However, I don't think I was called up simply because I'm now playing in Europe. I believe I've consistently performed well, and perhaps this accumulated form is what caught the national team's attention."

So, what was Nacional da Madeira's reaction to Song Min-kyu's national team call-up?

He smiled and said: "The coach at Nacional da Madeira simply told me 'Congratulations.' He also asked how many matches I would play and what the schedule would be. Actually, the team's current situation isn't great (laughing), so he didn't ask too much."

Regarding his first impression of Moreno, Song Min-kyu said: "The first time I met the coach was at lunch. He made a very good first impression; he seemed very cheerful, and his gaze was very sharp."

"Being on the national team itself is already an honor, but as a player, I'm still very eager to get playing time. I always want to be in the best possible condition. Whether the team uses a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, or 4-3-3 formation, I must be a player who meets the coach's demands. I heard that Coach Moreno will use a 4-4-2 formation, so I need to clearly understand his specific demands for wingers and demonstrate them in matches."

Song Min-kyu showed a positive attitude toward competition within the national team.

To participate in this national team training camp, Song Min-kyu, who has just become a player competing in European top-flight football, took his first long flight back to Korea from a distant place. Jet lag and travel fatigue are naturally unavoidable.

He said: "Long flights are really not easy. My body is definitely more tired, and it's hard to sleep well. However, Lee Kang-in took me for an ice bath after lunch. He has experience with this, so I plan to learn from him about recovery and body management."

Before returning to Korea, Song Min-kyu also transited through Madrid, Spain, and watched the Madrid Derby live. Lee Kang-in put on a good performance in that match.

Song Min-kyu recalled: "When I checked my flight, I realized I had to transit in Madrid, and coincidentally shared a flight with Lee Kang-in. He contacted me beforehand and asked me to come to the stadium to watch the match. I said 'Sure' and asked him to get me a ticket."

"In the end, he arranged a Sky Box for me. It was a very entertaining match, the stadium was absolutely beautiful, not to mention the quality of the match itself. As a football fan, I was very happy to watch such a match in person."

So, in the eyes of Korean international Song Min-kyu, how did Lee Kang-in perform in the Madrid Derby?

On this, Song Min-kyu smiled and said: "Who am I to evaluate Lee Kang-in? His abilities are already very strong, and he played very hard."

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