Son Heung-min, Ronaldo named 'worst forwards' by Japanese media

Japanese media outlet Football Channel has controversially named Son Heung-min, the star attacker for the South Korean national team, as the worst forward in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The publication included Son in its "worst eleven" lineup, which was presented in a 4-3-3 formation.

The outlet pointed to Son's performance during the qualifiers, noting his failure to score despite taking six shots in the first group stage match. He was also substituted early in the second game against Mexico and had no significant impact on scoring plays in the match where he came off the bench against South Africa. Football Channel commented that "perhaps expectations were too high," stating that his performance was "uncharacteristic" for him.

"He gave the impression of expending energy in vain, continuously missing crucial opportunities," the publication wrote, explaining its reasoning for selecting him. The criticism highlights a perceived lack of decisive playmaking and finishing from the usually prolific forward.

Son Heung-min was not the only high-profile player to be named to this dubious "worst eleven." Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo also found himself on the list, facing similar criticism for his performance in the qualifying matches.