South Korea captain Son Heung-min. [Yonhap]
South Korea captain Son Heung-min. [Yonhap]

South Korea captain Son Heung-min drew sharp criticism from foreign media for his underwhelming performance at the 2026 North America World Cup group stage.

Japanese football outlet Football Channel published its group-stage recap Tuesday, naming a "worst XI" of players who fell below expectations. Son was selected as one of three underperforming forwards alongside Ferran Torres and Enner Valencia.

"Son went scoreless and without an assist across three matches," Football Channel wrote, adding that "while this was in effect his final World Cup given his age, he ultimately ended the tournament on a poor note." The outlet also referenced a pre-tournament controversy in which a media figure was caught on video directing a mocking remark at Son during a South Korea training session.

Football Channel went on to say that Son started the opening match against the Czech Republic and played about 69 minutes but managed only one shot on target, with the team winning 2-1 thanks to a goal from substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu. In the second match against Mexico, Son again started and played roughly 57 minutes without registering a single shot. He began the third match against South Africa on the bench, the outlet added.

Football Channel also pointed to structural problems within the national team beyond Son's individual struggles, saying "the team failed to give Son — Asia's best attacker — sufficient opportunities and space, which prevented him from fully showcasing his finishing and pace, and that is something to reflect on."


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