South Korean media have voiced their disappointment after the national football team was officially eliminated from the 2026 World Cup during the group stage. The team's exit was confirmed following the Democratic Republic of Congo's 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan, which sealed South Korea's fate.

The Chosun Ilbo newspaper headlined, "Our World Cup 2026 has ended," lamenting the loss of even a chance to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. After a promising start with a win against the Czech Republic, South Korea faced disappointing defeats against Mexico and South Africa, both by a score of 1-0, leaving them reliant on other teams' results for a potential advancement.

With the Democratic Republic of Congo's win, hopes for Coach Hong Myung Bo's squad were extinguished. The Donga newspaper noted, "The price to pay for poor performance against South Africa has been steep. The team is officially out of the Round of 16." Until the final day of group matches, South Korea clung to a slim hope of advancing, but those hopes were dashed when Croatia defeated Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo's victory sealed their fate.

Son Heung Min, a key player for South Korea, faced a disappointing tournament, ending his World Cup journey with no goals scored in three matches. The Yonhap news agency highlighted that this was Son's fourth World Cup appearance, yet he once again faced elimination in the group stage. The most memorable moment for the 33-year-old star may have been sitting on the bench during the first half of the loss to South Africa.

In the end, South Korea finished third in their group with just three points, having secured one win and two losses. Their hopes of qualifying as one of the eight best third-placed teams were ultimately dashed, marking a disappointing chapter in South Korea's World Cup history.