South Korea captain Son Heung-min has asked fans to forgive Lee Kang-in after his team-mate apologised for his involvement in an altercation between the pair at the Asian Cup.
Tottenham skipper Son reportedly injured his finger in a dispute with team-mates during a dinner before their shock semi-final loss to Jordan.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee has visited Son in London to apologise.
Son confirmed Lee had offered “a sincere apology” to him and the team.
“To prevent Kang-in from such wrong behaviour again, all of our players, as seniors of the national team, will take special care from his side so that he can grow into a better person and player,” Son said on Instagram.
“When I was younger, I made my share of mistakes. And I think I am where I am in my career today thanks to the advice and guidance from good veterans whenever that happened.”
Son, 31, played with a dislocated finger in the 2-0 loss to Jordan, who were subsequently beaten 3-1 by Qatar in the final.
Manager Jurgen Klinsmann was sacked after just 12 months in the role following South Korea’s defeat, which extended their 64-year wait for a third Asian title.
The Korea Football Association confirmed Lee, 23, left a team dinner early with some of the younger members of the squad to play table tennis, leading to a disagreement with Son.
“That day, I did something I should never have done at dinner. I deeply regret it,” Lee said on Wednesday.
“I promised to have a more proper attitude and courtesy when dealing with my seniors and colleagues. I would like to thank them once again for accepting and embracing my apology.”
He added: “I knew in my head how important this tournament was to Son, but I didn’t show that with my behaviour. And I think that’s where all the problems began.”
Son, who posted his message alongside a photo of himself and Lee together, said: “Lee has done sincere soul-searching about his actions and offered a sincere apology to all the players on the national team, including myself.
“Since that incident, Lee has gone through a very difficult time. Please forgive him just once more with a generous heart.”
