'Son Heung-min ranked 81st, Kim Min-jae 98th': U.S. media releases top 100 players for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North, Central America and the Caribbean

*This content was translated by AI.

Son Heung-min (34, LAFC) and Kim Min-jae (30, Bayern Munich) have been included in the top 100 players for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North, Central America and the Caribbean, as selected by a U.S. media outlet. While rankings from 75th place and above have not yet been released, attention is focused on whether other South Korean players, such as Lee Kang-in (25, Paris Saint-Germain), will secure positions higher than Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae.

According to the Fox Sports World Cup player rankings for 100th to 76th place, released by U.S. media outlet Fox Sports on the 8th (Korean time), Son Heung-min is ranked 81st and Kim Min-jae is ranked 98th. Although the final rosters have not yet been announced, two South Korean players have already made the top 100 among the 48th countries most likely to participate in this World Cup. The final squad size for this World Cup will be 26 players per country across 48 nations, totaling 1,248 players.

Kim Min-jae is ranked 98th, ahead of Ecuador's 100th-ranked player Feris Estupiñán (AC Milan) and Sweden's 99th-ranked striker Alexander Isak (Liverpool). Ahead of Kim Min-jae are France's Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain) and Argentina's Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United).

Son Heung-min was introduced at 81st place, ahead of Netherlands' Jeremy Frimpong (Liverpool) and England's Reece James (Chelsea). However, he was ranked lower than France's Jules Koundé (Barcelona), United States' Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Turkey's Arda Güler (Real Madrid), and Sweden's Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal).

Fox Sports initially released only the rankings from 100th to 76th place on this day. The highest-ranked player in this range was Spain's Dani Olmo (Barcelona). Among Asian players, there were three: Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, and Japan's Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), who was ranked 94th. Among the players in Group A (Mexico, Czech Republic, South Africa), which shares the same group as South Korea in the World Cup, only Mexico's striker Raúl Jiménez (Fulham), ranked 90th, was included.

Rankings from 75th place and above are scheduled to be released sequentially in the future, and it remains to be seen whether another South Korean player will appear at a higher rank than Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae. Considering team performance and recent form this season, Lee Kang-in, who is approaching the UEFA Champions League final with his club, and Oh Hyeon-gyu (25, Beşiktaş), who has been performing exceptionally well since his recent transfer to the Turkish Süper Lig, are mentioned as potential candidates.

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*This content was translated by AI.