South Korea, which had been in a favorable position to advance to the round of 32, was tripped up by South Africa. As the decision to leave captain Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup ultimately led to defeat, foreign media outlets unanimously questioned coach Hong Myung-bo's tactics.
The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to South Africa in the third and final Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup North-Central America tournament, held at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on Wednesday (Korea time).
Having recorded one win and one loss in the previous two group-stage matches, South Korea could have secured second place in the group with just a draw. But the world No. 25 side delivered a below-par performance against No. 60 South Africa, ultimately bowing out without earning any points.
Having missed a direct ticket to the round of 32, South Korea now finds itself in a position where it must watch the results of third-place teams from other groups.
Behind the shocking defeat was the exclusion of Son Heung-min from the starting lineup. Hong benched the national team captain on the day. Son took the field at the start of the second half after watching the first half from the sidelines.
U.S. sports outlet The Athletic reported, "South Korea made the surprise decision to bench Son Heung-min," adding, "Son is an indispensable presence for the South Korean national team. There were even initial reactions wondering whether it was an error in the starting lineup."
It continued, "Hong may have made a new attempt to bring change to the team after the hard-fought win against the Czech Republic and the frustrating loss to Mexico," and assessed, "Either way, this choice worked as a greater burden on South Korea."
ESPN also criticized, "South Africa upset everyone's expectations and defeated South Korea," adding, "South Korea made the unexpected decision to bench superstar Son Heung-min. It appeared they had already judged their chances of advancing to the round of 32 to be high. As a result, this became a fatal choice."
The BBC pointed out that Son's absence felt unfamiliar. The outlet reflected, "Son Heung-min has started 12 consecutive World Cup matches as a South Korean national team player. His absence from the lineup feels awkward."
Yahoo Sports also expressed doubt, saying, "Coach Hong Myung-bo left Son Heung-min, regarded as the greatest player in Asian history, out of the starting lineup." It continued, "South Korea brought Son on at the start of the second half to change the flow of the game, but ended up losing."
