After scoring seven attacking points at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Kim Eun Joong-ho’s ‘Captain’ Lee Seung-won (Gangwon) has been honored with the Bronze Ball, the tournament’s third most valuable player (MVP) award.

Lee was announced as the winner of the adidas Bronze Ball at the tournament’s awards ceremony following the conclusion of both the third-place and final matches at the U-20 World Cup 2023 at La Plata Stadium in Argentina on Wednesday (June 12).

The Bronze Ball is awarded to the player recognized as having the third-best performance of all participating nations at the tournament, behind the Golden Ball for the tournament MVP and the Silver Ball for second place.

Lee is the third South Korean men’s soccer player to win an individual award at a FIFA World Cup tournament, both adult and age-group.

At the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, current Ulsan Hyundai head coach Hong Myung-bo was awarded the Bronze Ball after leading his team to the quarterfinals, and at the 2019 U-20 World Cup in Poland, Lee Kang-in (Mallorca) became the first Korean men’s soccer player to win the Golden Ball.

In women’s soccer, Yeo Min-ji (Gyeongju Hansuwon) won the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe (top scorer) after leading South Korea to victory at the 2010 U-17 World Cup, while Ji So-yeon (Suwon FC) won the Silver Ball and Silver Shoe (second top scorer) at the U-20 World Cup the same year.

Lee, who served as Kim’s “captain” for the tournament, 메이저사이트 totaled three goals and four assists, accumulating the most offensive points of any Korean player and playing a key role in the team’s run to the quarterfinals.

His seven offensive points are the most by a South Korean player in a FIFA-sanctioned men’s tournament, surpassing Lee Kang-in’s six (two goals, four assists) at the U-20 World Cup four years ago.

Lee, who has only played in the K4 League (fourth division) since joining Gangwon FC in December last year and is yet to make his K League 1 debut, used the tournament to establish himself as one of the top prospects in his age group.

From a goal and an assist in the first group game against France (a 2-1 win) to a goal in the third-place game against Israel later in the day, he produced offensive points in every game except for the Gambia game, which ended 0-0.

At the awards ceremony, Lee received the Bronze Ball trophy from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was in attendance.

The Golden Ball went to Italy’s Cesare Cassaday, who was also the tournament’s top scorer (seven goals), while the Silver Ball went to Uruguay’s Alan Maturo.