ESPN Calls South Korea's World Cup Exit 'Shocking,' Notes Son Heung-min Will Be 37 for Next Tournament

ESPN has labeled South Korea's early exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the second most shocking upset of the tournament. The national team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, failed to advance from the group stage, a result that has left fans deeply disappointed. The team's campaign began with a promising 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic, with goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyun-gyu.

However, the momentum quickly faded as South Korea suffered consecutive 0-1 losses to Mexico and South Africa. This performance placed them third in their group, failing to secure one of the top eight third-place finishes required to advance to the knockout stage. The team concluded the tournament ranked 34th out of 48 participating nations, falling significantly short of expectations.

“

South Korea's elimination from the group stage is the second most shocking upset among the teams that have been eliminated from the group stage.

The early elimination also casts a shadow over the future World Cup aspirations of star player Son Heung-min. ESPN noted that Son would be 37 years old should he participate in the next World Cup, underscoring the missed opportunity for the veteran forward and the team's aging squad. The disappointment is amplified by the fact that South Korea was considered a strong contender to reach the Round of 32 before the tournament began.

ESPN identified Uruguay's elimination as the most significant shock of the World Cup. Despite a strong squad, Uruguay's failure to secure wins against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, coupled with a final group stage loss to Spain due to a goalkeeper's error, led to their unexpected departure. Cape Verde, remaining undefeated, advanced to the Round of 16 in their place.

“

Son Heung-min will be 37 years old if he competes in the next World Cup.