South Korea’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a heartbreaking end after a shock 1-0 defeat to South Africa ultimately proved decisive in their group-stage elimination.
After enduring three anxious days of waiting to see if they would qualify as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams, results elsewhere went against the Asian side, confirming their exit from the competition.
South Korea finished third in Group A behind co-hosts Mexico and surprise package South Africa. Although they opened their campaign with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic, back-to-back 1-0 defeats to Mexico and South Africa ended their hopes of advancing.
The loss to South Africa has attracted the most scrutiny, with head coach Hong Myung-bo heavily criticised for his decision to leave captain and star forward Son Heung-min on the bench in a tactical gamble that failed to pay off.
South Korea had entered the tournament with high expectations, but their campaign was overshadowed by off-field distractions, including a dispute between the squad and local media as well as a drone incident that disrupted a key training session before the defeat to Mexico.
The team’s early exit has sparked widespread criticism back home, with local media describing the campaign as a major disappointment. News outlets lamented the country’s failure to progress after briefly raising hopes of a place in the Round of 32.
Attention has also turned to the future of Son Heung-min, who has previously hinted that he could retire from international football. The 33-year-old, who turns 34 next month, has scored 56 goals for South Korea and has been the face of the national team for more than a decade.
Many observers believe this could mark the end of Son’s World Cup journey following another painful exit on the global stage.
For South Korea, the tournament ends with disappointment, renewed questions over the direction of the national team, and uncertainty surrounding both the future of their captain and head coach.
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