Heavy is the crown — or in Lee Kang-in's case, the 7 as he takes the Little Prince's number

Heavy is the head that wears the crown — or in this case, the No. 7 for Atlético Madrid, and Lee Kang-in is now set to prove he is worthy of inheriting the number previously worn by club legend Antoine Griezmann.

Since announcing on Saturday that it had signed Lee to a five-year contract, the Spanish club has heavily promoted its newest signing on social media, uploading 13 posts about the transfer over two days, including images referencing "Fly Shoot Dori" (2005-2009) — a popular Korean children's television program that first introduced Lee to the public as a six-year-old soccer prodigy.

Atlético also unveiled a giant billboard featuring Lee in Jongno District, central Seoul, and released a video of his name and the No. 7 getting printed on a jersey.

Being given the squad number is a sign of intent by the La Liga side.

Griezmann, nicknamed the Little Prince, wore the number during 10 seasons with the club and became Atlético's all-time leading scorer with 212 goals. After joining Orlando City this summer, the French forward reacted to news that Lee would inherit the jersey by replying to the video of the printing with red and white heart emojis.

With the unveiling, the Spanish newspaper Marca said that it is no coincidence that Lee is inheriting the fabled number.

Lee is expected to provide exactly the type of creativity Atlético has lacked in recent years.

Despite being one of Spain's traditional football powerhouses alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona, Atlético has not won LaLiga since 2021. Analysts have often pointed to the club's lack of a playmaker capable of breaking down compact defenses.

Manager Diego Simeone has reportedly wanted to sign Lee for more than three years. The Korean is expected to play either on the right wing or in an attacking midfield role similar to the one Griezmann occupied, operating just behind the center forward.

Rather than serving as a traditional winger, Griezmann often drifted in behind the striker to operate as a trequartista. Lee's precise left foot and ability to escape defensive pressure are viewed as qualities that fit Simeone's tactical system.

“Lee's trademark through balls from the right edge of the penalty area — sometimes referred to by fans as ‘Messi passes’ — could create scoring opportunities for teammates such as Grimaldo, Alex Baena and Lookman,” said Atlético Stats, the Atlético-focused outlet.

Lee is expected to adjust quickly — he did, after all, spend more than a decade in Spanish football, joining Valencia's youth academy in 2011 at the age of 10 before moving to Mallorca and then to France with Paris Saint-Germain.

The move comes with pressure not only from the number he will wear but also from his transfer fee, reportedly up to 40 million euros ($45.7 million), making him the second-most expensive Korean footballer ever after Kim Min-jae.

Lee could make his unofficial debut for Atlético on Aug. 9, when the Spanish club faces Manchester City in a preseason friendly in Seoul. He is also set to face stars such as Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in the upcoming LaLiga season.

BY PARK LIN [[email protected]]