*This content was translated by AI.
As the opening of the 2026 FIFA 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup is less than 100 days away, foreign media reports are also continuing to evaluate the power of each team. What is noticeable is that the Japanese national soccer team is receiving a series of attention from leading foreign media, while South Korea, which is considered the "all-time power," is only being turned away coldly.
Qatari media Vine Sports cited Morocco, Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, and Japan as teams likely to cause a major upset at the 2026 FIFA 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup on the 5th (Korea Standard Time). Only Japan was listed in Asia.
"This World Cup is expected to be one of the most unpredictable tournaments in history as the number of participating countries expands to 48," the media said. "The possibility of an unexpected sensation during the tournament, even if not a favorite, has increased that much."
The Japanese national soccer team has been steadily developing over the years, the media said. Players such as Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion), and Wataru Endo (Liverpool) represent a generation with considerable experience in Europe's top leagues.
"Japanese soccer is famous for its systematic pressure, rapid counterattacks, and tactical discipline. "Thanks to these characteristics, Japan has become one of the teams that major strong teams want to avoid in international competitions," he said, adding that he is a candidate to cause an upset in the tournament.
This is not the only one. On the previous day, global media ESPN released the top 15 of the D-100 power rankings for the opening of the World Cup after a survey of reporters from around the world, and Japan ranked 15th in this analysis as well. In Asia, Japan is the only one ranked in the rankings. At least, he is evaluated as a player in the round of 16 or higher at the World Cup.
ESPN said, "Japan has played at a high level based on the players' skills and excellent organization, reaching the round of 16 at the World Cup for the past two consecutive tournaments. It is expected to prove its ability in this competition, but it is evidence that it beat Germany and Spain in the last competition to win the first place in the group."
While Japanese soccer is attracting attention from media around the world, South Korea, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, is only being turned away as the World Cup begins. Despite reaching the round of 16 at the previous tournament and boasting a more colorful squad than Japan, including Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), it is not attracting foreign media attention.
Apart from the evaluation of the all-time power coming from the players' side, it can be interpreted as meaning that the competitiveness as a team is still relatively low. Coach Hong Myung-bo's tactical characteristics were not found, and the 0-5 crushing defeat against Brazil in October last year and the performance against teams considered one step below are cited as reasons for the lack of positive external evaluation of Korean soccer. The gap between Korean and Japanese soccer is bitter beyond its performance and administrative power, and even foreign media evaluations are taking place.
Meanwhile, coach Hong Myung-bo will hold a press conference at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do on the 16th and announce the A-match list in March. After being called up to Incheon International Airport on the 23rd and immediately leaving the country, they will play Ivory Coast at 11 p.m. on the 28th in London, England, and Austria at 3:45 a.m. on the 1st of next month in Vienna, Austria, in March.
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
