Yens Castrop, who made his debut appearance at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup but faced group-stage elimination after playing in just a single match, has opened up about his regrets from the tournament.

German outlet Bild recently reported that Yens, following his return to his club Borussia Mönchengladbach, expressed his thoughts on the World Cup during a press conference.

Yens said, "I took away a lot of impressions from the World Cup, and it will certainly be an experience that stays with me for the rest of my life, but things did not turn out as everyone had hoped in terms of matches."

Yens stated, "I am also not entirely satisfied with this process," citing two main reasons.

The first reason was that he remained on the bench for the first and second group-stage matches, only making a substitute appearance in the 0-1 defeat against South Africa, limiting his playing time to just one game.

The second reason was the environment of the South Korean national team's accommodation set up in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Yens revealed, "Going out was banned for security reasons, and furthermore, meeting with family was allowed for only two days after the match."

He added, "My entire family took a month off work and traveled all the way there to cheer, which was truly bitter, and I couldn't even see my family when I wasn't playing in the matches."

He went on to express frustration, saying, "I think the accommodations and various conditions for other national teams must have been much better."

Leaving behind a World Cup filled with regrets, Yens has begun preparing for the new season with his club.

Having sustained a minor knee injury during training on the 22nd and focusing on recovery, Yens is expected to miss the friendly match scheduled for the 25th.

As for his goal for the new season, Yens stated that his aim is to complete a full season without injuries.

Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Choi Kang-san | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News