Is Raúl Jiménez Still King? World Cup Group A Best Player Rankings

World Cup week has finally come, and 48 nations are set for battle across North America for the next two months as we try to crown a champion in sport’s most prestigious tournament.

At the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the Mexican Men’s National Team will open the tournament up and Group A on Thursday when they take on South Africa in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup kickoff match.

While the entire country of Mexico will either be in the stadium or watching from home, does Mexico have the best player in Group A, or does that honor belong to South Africa, South Korea, or Czechia?

Here are my top three players of Group A at the World Cup.

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3. Kim Min-jae (South Korean, Bayern Munich)

A few years ago, Kim was considered the best defensive player ever to come out of Asia. Nicknamed “The Monster,” Kim made the leap from Napoli to the European superpower Bayern Munich following the 2022 World Cup.

And though he’s had some strong play here and there, it’s been mostly an inconsistent tenure for the hulking Kim. Still, in a quartet with not that many standout individuals, Kim can be a major factor in whether South Korea makes it to the knockout rounds.

2. Raúl Jiménez (Mexico, Fulham)

At 35, Jiménez is no longer the ace he was a few cycles ago, but he is still the heartbeat of this Mexican team, which believes that, with the home crowd behind them, it can make a spirited run at the World Cup.

He’s scored 21 goals in the past two seasons for Fulham in the Premier League, and Mexico will need his magic foot if they want to top Group A and have a favorable matchup in the Round of 32.

1. Son Heung-min (South Korea, Los Angeles FC)

Even though Son is no longer near his peak form from the last World Cup cycle at Tottenham, there is no other player in Group A with the potential ceiling that he can bring to a 90-minute game. If this were a marathon, you’d take several players over Son, but it’s a sprint. And on any given night, Son can turn back the clock and put a brace behind your best goalkeeper without breaking a sweat.

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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 9:28 PM.