Lee Kyung-kyu's Worst World Cup 32-Team Ranking

Broadcaster Lee Kyung-kyu expressed great disappointment over the South Korean national football team's failure to advance to the Round of 32 in the 2026 North, Central American World Cup. Lee Kyung-kyu watched the match between Uzbekistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo on a live broadcast on the 28th and confirmed South Korea's final elimination from the Round of 32 following the Democratic Republic of Congo's victory.

Lee Kyung-kyu expressed his regret, stating, "We've been eliminated from the Round of 32," but added that the players should be encouraged. However, he confessed, "​I spent 40 to 50 hours just on flights for this World Cup. It's exhausting." He particularly evaluated the situation as, "​It ended poorly, with the worst start rather than the best moment of 2026," and suggested that they should have lost the match against the Czech Republic as well.

Furthermore, Lee Kyung-kyu reiterated his disappointment, saying, "Honestly, we weren't at the level to advance to the Round of 32. The team didn't seem like one team," and "​This year's World Cup effectively ended even in the evaluation matches. It didn't go well." He also joked that he should run for president of the football association, expressing his dissatisfaction with the association.

Concluding the broadcast, Lee Kyung-kyu said, "This World Cup has real problems. It's the worst. I've been following since '94, and this year feels like the worst." He emphasized his disappointment with the tournament's results, mentioning the Round of 16 advancement in the Qatar World Cup and the victory against Germany in 2018. He specifically voiced his dissatisfaction with player selection, stating, "​Taking Son Heung-min off while he was playing, preventing him from playing, it's unbelievable."

Meanwhile, the South Korean national football team's advancement to the Round of 32 was dashed after a 0-1 loss to South Africa in their final Group Stage match on the 25th. Despite needing only a draw to advance, the loss meant they failed to pass the World Cup group stage for the first time in eight years.