A Japanese media outlet has named South Korean soccer star Son Heung-min as the worst forward in the 2026 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) North and Central America World Cup.
On Wednesday, the Japanese publication Football Channel unveiled its Worst Eleven for the tournament, fitting players into a 4-3-3 formation. Son found himself listed as a winger in this unflattering lineup.
Despite Son’s enthusiasm for the tournament, which included a move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the U.S. and tireless efforts as team captain, he failed to find the back of the net.
The outlet speculated that perhaps expectations were set too high. Son’s performance fell short of his usual standards in this tournament. They noted that in the opening group match, Son fired off six shots without scoring. He was substituted early in the second game against Mexico, and in his substitute appearance against South Africa, he made no significant offensive contributions.
The analysis continued that Son consistently missed crucial opportunities, giving the impression of expending energy without results.
Son wasn’t alone in this dubious distinction; Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo also made the Worst Eleven list.
Football Channel questioned the wisdom of consistently fielding Ronaldo, suggesting his prime had passed. They pointed out his off-target shots and noticeable lack of speed during counterattacks. While acknowledging that offensive stagnation was a team-wide issue, they asserted that Ronaldo couldn’t escape his share of the blame.
Despite pre-tournament concerns, Ronaldo managed to score three goals, including a brace against Uzbekistan in the group stage and a penalty against Croatia in the Round of 32. However, these efforts weren’t enough to prevent Portugal’s elimination in the Round of 16.
The outlet also included Japanese player Takefusa Kubo among the worst forwards, expressing regret that his tournament was limited to a single appearance due to injury.
Kubo started in the opening match against the Netherlands but was forced out by injury, ending his World Cup campaign prematurely. The media lamented that the La Masia-trained prodigy Kubo seems to have no luck when it comes to the World Cup.
Rounding out the Worst Eleven, Uruguay’s Fernando Muslera was named the worst goalkeeper. The defensive line consisted of Brazil’s Danilo, Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly, Croatia’s Josko Gvardiol, and France’s Lucas Digne.
The midfield trio comprised Uruguay’s Federico Valverde, Germany’s Alexander Pavlovich, and Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes.
These selections largely represent players who entered the tournament with high expectations but ultimately failed to deliver on their promise.