I was once 11th in the world...' Hong Myung-bo's Hong Myung-bo Team has fallen to 8th place, and Japan is 13th.

*This content was translated by AI.

• Goal.Com World Cup power ranking revealed

The power ranking of the 2026 FIFA 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup of the South Korean national soccer team is falling. Hong Myung-bo Team's ranking, which once rose to 11th place, fell to 28th place just before the World Cup. The gap has widened with Japan, which has risen to 13th place.

According to the 2026 FIFA 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Power Ranking released by global soccer media GoalCom on the 2nd (Korea Standard Time), South Korea ranked 28th out of 48 teams. Since September last year, the media has been updating the power rankings of teams that advance to the World Cup finals at the end of the A-match period.

South Korea ranked 11th out of 27 countries that were confirmed to advance to the World Cup finals in September last year, ranked 18th in October and 15th in November, respectively. In January, it continued to maintain its ranking in the 10th place at 17th place, but this time, which reflects the results of two consecutive games with Ivory Coast and Austria, it fell by more than 10 places to 28th place.

"South Korea's advance to the World Cup finals is not surprising, but the process was not just smooth this time," Goaltom said. "At one point, it only drew three consecutive World Cup qualifiers, and some key players, including Son Heung-min (LAFC), are getting older. Nevertheless, coach Hong Myung-bo said, "After the replacement of Jurgen Klinsmann, we put the team back on track."

"Despite the fact that the results of the draw with Mexico, South Africa and the Czech Republic are not bad, no one expects Korea to repeat its fourth-place performance at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup due to its recent losses to Brazil (0-5) and Ivory Coast (0-4).

On the other hand, Japan, which once ranked second in Asia in the power rankings behind Korea, has risen to 13th. "Japan recently won five consecutive A matches by beating Scotland and England on the road after overcoming the gap of Endo Wataru (Liverpool) during the A-match period in March," the media said. "It will not be easy to pass the group league, but no one wants to meet Japan in the tournament."

Asia was followed by Uzbekistan (34th), Australia (35th), Iran (40th), Saudi Arabia (42nd), Qatar (43rd), Jordan (44th) and Iraq (46th). In Group A of the World Cup, Mexico (26th) was higher than South Korea, while the Czech Republic ranked 32nd and South Africa 38th.

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*This content was translated by AI.