As the countdown to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar enters its final 100 days, Lee Seung-woo, known as "Korea's Messi," didn't hesitate to say whether he was eager to be a part of the global feast: "Of course I want to go." At the time, he had contributed 10 goals and 3 assists in 25 K-League matches.
However, his outstanding performance did not win the favor of the South Korean coach Bento, Lee Seung-woo's name did not appear in the list of South Korea's national team announced in September, and at the end of October, the South Korean team in Qatar before the last domestic training, he is still absent.
Lee Seung-woo's determination to cut his long hair and commit to three weeks of basic military training at the Nonsan Military Training Center in Chungcheongnam-do on Oct. 27 declared him a missed opportunity for the Qatar World Cup.
Looking back at the World Cup in Russia four years ago, Lee Seung-woo became the center of attention in the world of soccer as the No. 10 of the South Korean team. His talent has been described as "amazingly gifted". Under the influence of his father and brother, Lee Seung-woo became involved with soccer at an early age and gradually developed a strong interest in the sport.
As a teenager, he shone in various youth tournaments in Korea, scoring goals. Initially showing his speed and tenacity as a midfielder, Coach Choi Kwang-won recalls, "I first met Lee Seung-woo in a five-a-side tournament when he was nine years old, and I was so impressed with his desire to win and his performance that I wanted to develop him into a striker at that time."
At that time, Lee Seung-woo could only kick with his right foot, and after Coach Choi pointed out the deficiency of his left foot, Lee Seung-woo began to practice his left foot technique.
"He's very perceptive, I teach him one or two things and he masters them on his own." Coach Choi praised.
In 2010, at the age of 12, Lee Seung-woo caught the eye of Barcelona scouts at the 9-a-side Mini World Cup in South Korea and the Danone Cup in South Africa.
Lee Seung-woo and his family almost fainted with excitement when they learned of Barcelona's interest in him, as he idolizes none other than Lionel Messi.
At the age of 13, Lee Seung-woo received offers from Madrid and German clubs before embarking on a trip to Catalonia to join the La Masia youth camp.
When he first arrived at La Masia, Lee Seung-woo was not bothered by the unfamiliar surroundings, but quickly integrated into the new environment. In his first season, he scored 39 goals in 29 games, breaking Lionel Messi's previous scoring record.
In the summer of 2011, Lee Seung-woo had an outstanding performance in Spain's famous youth tournament Torneode Canillas, scoring 13 goals in 10 matches, winning the 10-goal MVP, and from then on, he got one more title - "Korean Messi", and became the focus of world soccer attention. He also became the center of attention in world soccer.
"That's right, my dream is to be the first Korean player to play in Barcelona's first team." At that time, he was full of confidence.
However, fate had its way.
In April 2014, FIFA severely penalized Barcelona for illegally importing young foreign players under the age of 18 years. Korean soccer hopeful Seung-Ho Baek and "Japanese Messi" Ei Kukai were banned from playing for Barcelona until they reached the age of 18.
A bolt from the blue.
It is important to realize that this stage is the key period of player growth, there is no ball to play in Barcelona, the national brand ladder has become the only real-world stage for Lee Seung-woo.
Lee Seung-woo represented South Korea at the U16 Asian Junior Championships in September 2014, and although he ultimately failed to win the title, he earned the Golden Boot and Golden Ball for his outstanding performance.
In the quarter-final match against Japan, Lee Seung-woo scored twice, and in one of the matches, he even put on a "Messi-style individual show".
However, due to the lack of systematic competition, Lee Seung-woo's performance fluctuated wildly.
Lee Seung-woo continued to represent South Korea in the No. 10 jersey at the 2015 U17 World Cup, but performed poorly.
In the group stage, South Korea beat Brazil 1-0 and drew with England 0-0 to top the table, but lost 0-2 in the 1/8 final against Belgium, with Lee Seung-woo conceding a penalty in the match.
On January 6, 2016, Lee Seung-woo celebrated his 18th Bar Mitzvah by posting a photo on his Ins wearing Barcelona's No. 18 jersey with 18 exclamation points.
However, he didn't wait for his chance and didn't get much of a chance with Barcelona B, making only one appearance and losing his starting spot in the Youth Champions League.
In May 2017, at the U20 World Cup in South Korea, Lee Seung-woo was outstanding, scoring two goals, one of them against Argentina.
But that didn't keep him at Barcelona, and in August 2017, Serie A club Verona officially announced that Lee Seung-woo had joined the club for a transfer fee of €1.5 million.
Six years of dreaming about Barcelona, and in the end it fell through.
Woe is not alone.
Lee Seung-woo joined Verona and became the first South Korean player to be imported from Serie A after 2002 due to the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup feud.
After signing a four-year contract, Barcelona added a buy-back clause to the contract, wanting to wait for Lee Seung-woo to come out and buy him back.
In his first season in Serie A, Lee Seung-woo made 14 appearances and scored one goal, becoming the second South Korean player to score in Serie A after Ahn Jung-hwan, who was unfortunately relegated by Verona.
Later in the season, Lee Seung-woo played another season in Serie B. He was still mediocre, scoring only one goal.
Barcelona have no intention of buying back.
In August 2019, Lee Seung-woo moved to St. Turten, streaming from Serie A to the Bianconeri for a transfer fee of €1.2 million.
After a season and a half of poor performances with 2 goals in 17 appearances, Lee Seung-woo was sent on loan by St. Tilden to Portimão Man in the Portuguese Superliga, resulting in 0 goals in 4 games.
Lee Seung-woo went back to St. Tilden on loan and sat on the bench, and the two sides terminated the contract in November 2021, making the "Korean Messi" a free agent.
The club is upside down, so it's good to know that in Korea, there is still a place for him.
In June 2018, at the age of 20, he was named to South Korea's 23-man World Cup roster for Russia, becoming the team's youngest player.
Lee Seung-woo, who wore the No. 10 jersey, came on as a substitute in the group matches against Sweden and Mexico. South Korea exited the group early after two consecutive losses. He did not play in the final match, a 2-0 defeat to Germany.
In the Asian Games after the World Cup, Lee Seung-woo exploded again. In the final against Japan, he broke the deadlock with a left-footed shot in the third minute of extra time, eventually helping South Korea win the gold medal 2-1. He and Son Heung-yi received exemptions from military service as overage players.
In January 2019, Lee Seung-woo was called up to the South Korean team for the Asian Cup and the South Korean coach was replaced by Bento.
In the final game of the group stage, Lee Seung-woo kicked a water bottle and dropped his towel on the bench.
Lee Seung-woo faded out of Bento's South Korea squad after the Asian Cup.
In June 2019, Lee Seung-woo was selected for the South Korean national team for the last time.
He then lost to South Korea's U23 team not participating in the U23 Asian Cup, which South Korea won and went on to the Tokyo Olympics.
Prior to the Olympics, Lee Seung-woo retaliated with a triple kick after being robbed by an opponent in warm-up matches for the South Korean Olympics and the Brazilian Olympics, and then topped off with an opponent.
As a result, he lost the Korean National Olympic team and missed the Tokyo Olympics.
Hometown Rebirth.
Lee Seung-woo said it was Suwon FC that saved him.
In December 2021, K1's Suwon FC returned home after 10 years of drifting around Europe when he announced the signing of Lee Seung-woo.
After his first season in the K-League, Lee Seung-woo started to break out and scored goals one after another. After scoring a goal, he danced to celebrate, causing widespread concern.
Because he dances like Zhao Si from Country Love, he has become the "Korean Zhao Si". The Korean media called him a "soul dancer".
In the 17th round match against Pohang Steelers, Lee Seung-woo scored a half-turned overhead kick that was so impressive that FIFA officially reposted the video of the goal.
As his goal tally continued to grow, calls for him to be selected for the South Korean team grew louder and louder, but this TOEI fell on deaf ears:
"It's hard to evaluate a player who wasn't drafted due to technical and tactical considerations."
At the end of the season, Seung-Woo Lee had 14 goals and three assists.
On Oct. 21, South Korea announced its final training roster before heading to Qatar, and Lee Seung-woo remained unselected.
"I had high hopes of making the team that morning and into the morning."
On the 27th, Lee Seung-woo cut off his long hair and appeared at the Nonsan Military Training Center in Chungcheongnam-do in casual clothes. Although he was exempted from military service, he still had to undergo three weeks of basic military training and then do some volunteer work.
Lee Seung-woo said he was sorry to fall out of the Korean team, but he had no regrets because he did his best.
"I believe the coach should respect his decision."
Back home, Lee Seung-woo has grown up and become more mature.
Lee Seung-woo's outstanding performance in the K-League has also attracted the attention of many overseas clubs. He is very interested in teams from Europe, the Middle East, the United States, and Japan, but Lee Seung-woo says he stays at Suwon FC as his first choice.
"Receiving the offer means a lot to me, I am very grateful and it proves my strength. I joined Suwon FC at the end of last year, after my stint in Europe, and at that time, I just wanted to be able to play more matches, and the club believed in me and gave me the opportunity to stay, and it will be my first choice."
Of studying abroad for the past 10 years, Lee Seung-woo said, "As a player representing Korea in the Euroleague, I worked hard and tried to do better in every game, and I did my best."
Teacher Choi Kwang-won thought that if he could play in the K-League until he was 18 and then go to Europe, he would have been able to grow more, but they had no choice at the time.
"In the history of Korean soccer, this is a very exciting transfer and a very good opportunity, and we had no choice."
However, since he is only 24 years old, he still has a lot of time left.
