World Cup stars of the Bundesliga: Mainz’s Jae-sung Lee
One of the main beneficiaries of Urs Fischer’s appointment as Mainz head coach, Jae-sung Lee is hoping to carry his form from the second half of the 2025/26 season into the FIFA World Cup 2026 with South Korea…
Name: Jae-sung Lee
Club: Mainz
Nation: South Korea
International debut: 27 March 2015
Caps: 105
Goals: 15
Stats correct as of 11 June 2026
After a tricky start, Lee and his Mainz colleagues soared up the Bundesliga table following the arrival of Fischer last December, finishing the campaign in 10th spot and reaching the last eight of the UEFA Conference League - the first European quarter-final in the club’s history.
Watch: The best of Jae-sung Lee
A pillar of consistency in the Zerofivers’ midfield, Lee appeared in every league game he was available for last term, scoring some memorable goals along the way. In Fischer’s first game in charge, he netted a perfectly timed header to give Mainz the lead in an eventual 2-2 draw at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
The former Holstein Kiel man also scored a dramatic last-minute winner in a 2-1 Conference League league-phase victory over Fiorentina in November, one of six goals in all competitions in 2025/26. He also registered four assists as well as 1,943 intensive runs last term - more than any other Mainz player apart from Paul Nebel and Kaishu Sano.
What he brings to the national team
The 33-year-old has won over 100 caps for South Korea, leaving him on the brink of the Taegeuk Warriors’ top 10 appearance-makers of all time.
The second-oldest outfield player in Myung-bo Hong’s World Cup squad behind ex-Bayer Leverkusen star Heung-min Son, Lee played every minute of Korea’s group campaign at the 2018 tournament before helping them reach the round of 16 four years later.
As well as bringing vast experience to the current squad, the Mainz playmaker also carries a considerable goal threat. Five of his 15 international efforts to date came in qualifying for the World Cup 2026, making him one of the first names on Hong’s team sheet in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
What his coaches say
“He can play in any role, but I’ve wanted to try fielding him alongside Hwang In-beom [in central midfield]. He is a very gifted player.” - South Korea coach Hong
“With Lee, he sometimes needs protecting from himself. He can play three times a week with no issues whatsoever.” - Mainz boss Fischer on Lee’s work rate
