Napoli defender Kim Min-jae has been at the centre of controversy while on International duty with South Korea and had to apologise to his compatriots with an Instagram post.
The 26-year-old appeared annoyed by questions from local reporters after a 2-1 loss against Uruguay on Tuesday.
“I am mentally tired and I only want to focus on my club at the moment, not on the national team, I have nothing more to say now,” said the Napoli centre-back, as quoted by Il Corriere dello Sport.
Kim’s words caused outrage in his native country, so the Korean centre-back offered his apology with an Instagram post shared on Wednesday morning.
“I apologise to them and the players who were surprised by my words,” he said.
“I had a minor injury and I have recovered. I’ve played many games and I never spared myself. I collapsed mentally and had an outburst. I apologise again and ask the fans always to support us.”
Kim has been a key player for Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli this season, playing 35 games across all competitions following an €18m move from Fenerbache last summer.
The Partenopei coach has been full of praise for the 26-year-old lately, calling him the ‘best defender in the World’ after a 2-0 win over Atalanta on March 11.
Kim’s contract at the Stadio Maradona expires in June 2025, but the Partenopei are already working to extend his stay at the club, especially considering that the Korea international has a €45m clause included in his contract.