Lee Kang-in Named to Spanish Media's Best 11 for World Cup Group Stage, Only Player from Eliminated Nation

Although South Korea was eliminated early from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America following a lackluster performance, the efforts of midfielder Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) have been recognized by international media.

Marca, a Spanish sports daily, announced its Best 11 for the World Cup group stage on the 28th (Korea Standard Time), following the conclusion of all group stage matches.

The media outlet selected a Best 11 (Gold Team) and a runner-up Best 11 (Silver Team) based on its own power rankings, organized in a 3-4-3 formation.

Lee, who played the full 90 minutes in all three group stage matches, earned a power ranking score of 23.96, securing his spot as an attacking midfielder in the Best 11.

He is the only Asian player to be included.

He is also the only player from a nation that failed to advance to the Round of 32.

Regarding Lee, Marca stated, "Many people probably did not expect this," adding, "Lee, who has been mentioned as a potential transfer target for Atletico Madrid (Spain), received the second-highest score among midfielders in the power rankings."

The midfielder with the highest power ranking is Spain's Rodri (24.82 points).

Marca noted, "However, there is a downside for Lee," explaining, "He can no longer accumulate points because South Korea was eliminated after failing to rank among the best third-placed teams."

The outlet added, "Nevertheless, being named to this Best 11 is a significant achievement in itself," and concluded, "Let us look forward to seeing his performance again in the near future."

Lee stood shoulder to shoulder with prominent stars.

The Best 11 forwards included Lionel Messi (Argentina), Harry Kane (England), and Kylian Mbappe (France), all of whom displayed sharp goal-scoring instincts throughout the group stage.

Joining Lee and Rodri in the midfield were Granit Xhaka (Switzerland) and Pedri (Spain), while the defense consisted of Gabriel Magalhaes (Brazil), Aymeric Laporte (Spain), and Jan Paul van Hecke (Netherlands).

The goalkeeper position was taken by Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt).

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.