Coach Hong Myung-bo Expresses Confidence Ahead of Mexico Match: "I Hope Our Players Surpass the 2002 Semifinal Record"

"I hope our players can surpass the 2002 semifinal record."

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national football team, expressed strong confidence ahead of the team's second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Mexico.

Speaking at a press conference held at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 18 (Korea Standard Time), one day before the Group A second-round match, Coach Hong said, "In our first match against the Czech Republic, the players never gave up until the end, fulfilled their roles, and secured a victory. The players have strong confidence. I hope they can showcase that well on the pitch tomorrow."

He added, "We reached the semifinals in 2002 (at the Korea-Japan World Cup). I would like our players to go beyond that record," and noted, "The starting 11 has already been decided. All of our players are in good condition."

South Korea secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory in their opening match against the Czech Republic.

However, Mexico is a different team from the Czech Republic.

They are faster, more technical, and more organized.

There is also a significant gap in the FIFA rankings, with Mexico at 12th and the Czech Republic at 44th.

South Korea is currently ranked 22nd.

Coach Hong stated, "Mexico is different from the Czech Republic in every aspect, including their playing style. We have shared those details sufficiently with the players this week," adding, "The opponent will clearly come out very strongly, and we must prepare well for that."

South Korea played a friendly match against Mexico in the United States last September, before the group stage draw.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Beşiktaş) scoring for Korea.

Coach Hong said, "(The friendly match last September) will be a great help to us. We gained valuable insights from that game."

As Mexico is one of the host nations, South Korea must also contend with the passionate support of Mexican fans.

Coach Hong remarked, "The players are aware of the various advantages the home team has. Our players have played in front of large crowds many times. The key is at what point we can take control and find the rhythm of the game."

He also took a moment to express his gratitude to the Mexican fans who cheered for South Korea during the first match against the Czech Republic.

Regarding the importance of "Iron Pillar" Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), who will be tasked with stopping the Mexican attack, Coach Hong emphasized, "While individual defensive ability is important, organizational aspects are crucial. The opposing strikers move behind the defense in an instant. We might miss them for a split second. In those moments, defensive organization and chemistry between the players are vital."

With the number of participating nations increasing to 48 for this tournament, the preparation time between matches has extended to about a week.

Coach Hong said, "(One week) was plenty of time for the players to recover and prepare for the match," but added, "A game is always relative to the opponent. Not everything goes exactly as planned, so it is very important how well we can control variables during the match."

The Group A second-round match of the World Cup between South Korea and Mexico will kick off at Guadalajara Stadium at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow (Korea Standard Time).

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