Son Heung-min to Lead Attack Against Mexico; Oh Hyeon-gyu on Bench

Son Heung-min (LAFC) will once again lead the attack for Hong Myung-bo's squad in the match against Mexico.

The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Mexico in their second Group A match of the 2026 North and Central American World Cup at the Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, today (June 19) at 10:00 a.m.

The starting lineup for South Korea, released ahead of kickoff, includes Son Heung-min, while Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas), who scored the comeback goal against the Czech Republic, has been named to the bench.

Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) will start as wingers, while Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) and Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham City) will anchor the midfield.

Coach Hong is sticking with the 3-4-3 formation and a three-man defensive line, just as he did in the match against the Czech Republic.

Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland) will guard the backline, with Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade) and Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon) starting as wing-backs.

Kim Seung-gyu (Tokyo) will start in goal.

Compared to the match against the Czech Republic, there is only one change: Kim Moon-hwan replaces Lee Tae-seok (Austria Wien).

Mexico, managed by Javier Aguirre, is expected to deploy a 4-3-3 formation.

Julián Quiñones, Raúl Jiménez, and Roberto Alvarado, who each scored a goal in their opening match, will lead the attack.

The midfield will feature Brian Gutiérrez, Luis Romo, and Érick Lira.

The defensive line will consist of Jesús Gallardo, Johan Vásquez, Edson Álvarez, and Jorge Sánchez from left to right, with Raúl Rangel in goal.

Edson Álvarez, whose primary position is defensive midfielder, will fill in on the defensive line to replace key center-back César Montes, who is suspended for this match after being sent off in the first game.

This match is effectively a battle for the top spot in the group.

In their first matches, South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1, while Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.