Lee Kang-in Earns World Cup Best 11 Honor Amid South Korea's Exit

Lee Kang-in, 25, has earned a World Cup “Best 11” honor amid South Korea’s early exit from the 2026 North America tournament. After starting and playing the full 90 minutes in all three Group A matches—against the Czech Republic (2-1 win), Mexico (0-1 loss), and South Africa (0-1 loss)—he was named by Spanish outlet Marca as the sole Asian player in the group-stage Best 11. Marca assigned him a Power Ranking score of 23.96, ranking him second among midfielders, despite South Korea failing to reach the knockout stage. The article notes he arrived at Incheon International Airport on June 30, and then apologized on social media on July 3 for not meeting expectations. With South Korea eliminated, the recognition highlights accountability even as the team fell short of the Round of 32.