A Japanese soccer media outlet highlighted star players who performed below expectations at the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup and included South Korea national team captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham). On the 1st, Japanese football media outlet ‘Football Channel’ released the list of players who left a disappointing showing and were eliminated in the group stage of this North and Central American World Cup. Along with Son Heung-min, the media selected Federico Valverde, Fernando Muslera (Uruguay), Kenan Yildiz (Turkiye), and Patrick Sic (Czech Republic) as the five players who showed disappointing performances. The Football Channel said, “The Korean national team left Mexico Monterrey in disappointment,” and “Son Heung-min, the team’s ace, was also one of the players who left unsatisfactory results in this tournament. He said, “For 33-year-old striker Son Heung-min, this World Cup was an important tournament that could be the last stage of his career, so his determination must have been extraordinary.” He added, “During this tournament, he faced harsh criticism both inside and outside the stadium.” The most disappointing part was his performance.