Despite a record-breaking nine nations from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifying for the newly expanded 48-team World Cup, a catastrophic group stage saw only two teams survive to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Trap-lined by a slower domestic tempo, Asian players froze under elite global pressing, winning just three of 27 matches, triggering immense frustration and the immediate resignations of South Korea’s head coach and Saudi Arabia’s football president.

While five major Asian teams finished dead last in their groups, Africa enjoyed a historic tournament, sending an astonishing nine out of ten teams into the round of 32.