Japanese Media Names Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min 'Worst Best 11'; Five South Koreans Included in Asia's Worst 11 for the World Cup

*This content was translated by AI.

A Japanese football specialty magazine compiled a "Worst 11" of Asian players who delivered underwhelming performances at the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup. Notably, five South Korean players were included in the list, even Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who performed well despite his team's elimination from the group stage.

On the 10th, Japanese football magazine Football Channel stated, "Although nine countries from Asia, including Japan, participated in the tournament, only Japan and Australia advanced to the knockout stage. Both teams were eliminated in the Round of 32, raising questions about the overall level of Asian football." The magazine selected players who failed to meet expectations as its Worst 11.

What stood out was Lee Kang-in's name. The magazine explained, "Despite possessing a magical left foot, he ultimately failed to create a decisive difference and concluded the tournament without achieving that impact. However, his performance was not poor. He was clearly at the center of South Korea's offense, with a pass completion rate of 93% during the tournament. He played a key role in initiating build-up play, contributing significantly to overall game management."

Nevertheless, the magazine added, "The main expectation for Lee Kang-in centered on his decisive plays in front of the goal. Although he recorded one assist against the Czech Republic, he failed to score. While his willingness to drop deep and support the team was commendable, it inevitably reduced his offensive influence. This issue lies less with Lee Kang-in personally and more with the team's failure to utilize him effectively. When a player with such attacking talent is burdened with excessive defensive and build-up responsibilities, miscalculations are inevitable."

In addition to Lee Kang-in, Son Heung-min (LAFC) was also named to the magazine's selected Asian Worst 11. Football Channel stated, "Son Heung-min was among the players who delivered the biggest disappointments at this World Cup. He participated in all three group stage matches but recorded neither a goal nor an assist. While he was undoubtedly a victim of the conflict triggered by reporters' remarks mocking his military service exemption, it is also true that he failed to demonstrate his presence on the field."

The magazine further noted, "It is regrettable that the players' morale dropped due to the reporters' remarks, but even without that controversy, Son Heung-min showed little of his prime explosive power during this tournament. Although he is not yet at an age where his skills would rapidly decline, he was often relegated to a role of simply connecting passes and failed to generate significant expectations in front of the goal. A striker is ultimately evaluated by results. Given that he had no involvement in any goals, inclusion in the Worst 11 was unavoidable."

Veteran Lee Jae-sung (Mainz 05) was also included in Football Channel's selection. The magazine stated, "If judged solely on performance, he might not have qualified for the Worst 11. However, if he was at the center of the internal conflict that engulfed the South Korean national team throughout the tournament, the narrative changes." It added, "If reports are true that some players, including Lee Jae-sung, advocated for an interview boycott and thereby exacerbated internal tensions within the team, then Lee Jae-sung's responsibility cannot be considered light."

The magazine continued, "Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda) failed to meet expectations with his performance at this World Cup. Fan expectations turned into disappointment and anger, making him a symbol of the South Korean national team's confusion." It added, "His agency's announcement of legal action against malicious comments following the match against South Africa only further fueled fan backlash."

Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo) was also selected for the Worst 11. The magazine stated, "Considering his overall performance, this selection may seem somewhat harsh, as he saved the team on multiple occasions with crucial saves." However, it added, "The cost of that single mistake against Mexico was far too high. At the time, Kim Seung-gyu had left the goal unguarded but collided with a defender, lost control of the ball, and ultimately conceded an early goal. That goal led to South Korea's defeat, halting their upward momentum and resulting in their elimination from the group stage."

In addition to the five South Korean players, the magazine selected Saudi Arabia's Abdulrahman Al-Amri (Al-Nassr) and Firas Al-Buraikan (Al-Ahli), Qatar's Pedro Miguel (Al-Sadd), Homam Ahmed, and Asim Madibo (both Al-Duhail), as well as Japan's Kento Shioya (VfL Wolfsburg) as the Worst 11 of Asia for this tournament.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.