Hong Myung-bo: "The Moment You Think a Draw Is Enough, You Face Trouble... We Will Play for a Win"

Head coach Hong Myung-bo emphasized his determination to win on the eve of the final group stage match against South Africa, which will determine South Korea's advancement to the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating, "The moment you think a draw is enough, you can actually find yourself in trouble."

Coach Hong made these remarks during a press conference held at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, today (June 24).

South Korea secured a 2-1 comeback victory against the Czech Republic in their first match but suffered a 0-1 defeat to host nation Mexico in the second match despite a strong performance, due to a defensive error.

The chances of Hong Myung-bo's squad advancing to the Round of 32 remain high.

A draw against South Africa would be enough for South Korea to advance to the knockout stage as the second-place team in the group.

However, Coach Hong said, "Looking back at my past World Cup experiences, I have often faced situations where a win was the only way to advance. While the current situation (where a draw secures second place) is not bad, it doesn't necessarily provide any special advantage."

He continued, "If we start thinking that a draw is enough, I believe we will face difficulties instead. The opponent is also tough. We will prepare for the match with the mindset of not giving up and playing for a victory."

Regarding the team's atmosphere following the loss to Mexico, he said, "It is true that the mood was a bit lower than when we won, as we failed to get a result despite a decent preparation process. However, it hasn't significantly affected our preparations. Both physically and mentally, the players have fully recovered."

Coach Hong noted that he did not give any special instructions to the squad ahead of the third match, as he was satisfied with the performance against Mexico.

"The players showed enough in the first and second matches. I believe they displayed everything they were capable of," he said. "I told them to play with confidence and trust in each other, as this is an important match."

Regarding the starting lineup, Coach Hong revealed, "There will be changes in two or three positions."

Mexican fans have been passionately cheering for Hong Myung-bo's team, fueled by the 'Hallyu' (Korean Wave) and the memory of South Korea's victory over Germany in the final group stage match of the 2018 Russia World Cup, which helped Mexico reach the Round of 16. Monterrey is also a city where many South Korean companies have established operations.

Coach Hong said, "I am well aware that Mexican fans chanted 'Korea' during the match against the Czech Republic. I am grateful. I also know that there are many Korean companies and expatriates here." He added, "It is a great gift for the players to be able to play as if they are on home ground tomorrow. We will make good use of that to put on a great performance."

The final Group A match of the tournament between South Korea and South Africa will be held at Monterrey Stadium on June 25 at 10:00 AM.

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