South Korea vs Spain and Italy — South Korea/Japan 2002

South Korea's 2002 semifinal run, the first by any Asian nation, shocked the world as they eliminated Italy and Spain through contentious officiating. Italy's disallowed goal and a red card for Francesco Totti in extra time sparked controversy, while Spain had two valid goals ruled out. The refereeing, led by Byron Moreno (later convicted for match-fixing), overshadows an otherwise historic achievement—South Korea became the first Asian team to reach the semifinals, a feat cheaper than the typical rival's path given the allegations. Co-hosts averaged 2.3 goals per game in their knockout matches, outpacing the tournament average of 1.8.