Paris: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Lee Kang-in has been named South Korean football’s top male player for 2025.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Lee as the winner of its annual Male Player of the Year award during the KFA Awards ceremony at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, located approximately 90 kilometers south of Seoul. The KFA has been recognizing top individual players since 2010, and this marks Lee’s first time receiving the honor. The winner was decided through votes cast by the media and KFA officials.
Throughout the 2024-25 season, Lee was instrumental in PSG’s European treble victory, which included winning the French league title, the domestic cup, and the UEFA Champions League trophy. He also served as a key playmaker for the South Korean national team, the Taegeuk Warriors.
In a video message played during the awards ceremony, Lee expressed his gratitude to his South Korean teammates and national team staff for their support. “The year 2025 was a meaningful one for me, and 2026 will be even more so with the FIFA World Cup coming up,” Lee said. “I will do my best to put on strong performances at the World Cup.”
The KFA reported that Lee secured 31.4 voting points, narrowly surpassing Los Angeles Football Club star Son Heung-min by 2.2 points. Son Heung-min has previously won this award seven times, making him the most decorated player in this category.
The Female Player of the Year award was claimed by national team stalwart Jang Selgi, who garnered 18.4 points. Jang, now a three-time winner, played a pivotal role in South Korea’s victory at the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Football Championship in 2025, which was the country’s first title in two decades. She was also voted the MVP of the regional tournament.
Additionally, Suwon Samsung Bluewings head coach Lee Jung-hyo was honored as the Male Coach of the Year for his achievements with his former K League club, Gwangju FC. Lee was recognized for leading Gwangju, a team often challenged by limited funding, to the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Elite tournament. He assumed the head coaching position at Suwon Samsung in December 2025.