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South Korea national football team manager Hong Myung-bo answers questions during an official press conference held at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico on June 17 (local time), a day ahead of the match against Mexico at the 2026 World Cup. / Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

South Korea national football team manager Hong Myung-bo expressed strong confidence ahead of the upcoming match against Mexico, setting a goal that surpasses the country's historic semifinal finish at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.

"We won our first match against the Czech Republic because the players never gave up until the very end and fully executed their roles," Hong said during an official press conference on June 17 (local time) at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, ahead of the team's second Group A match in the 2026 World Cup. "The players have high confidence right now. I hope that translates well onto the pitch tomorrow."

The manager left no ambiguity regarding the squad's ultimate target. "We reached the semifinals back in 2002. I want our players to break that record," Hong emphasized. "I have finalized the starting eleven. All of our players are in excellent condition." This represents a significantly higher aspiration than his stance just before departing for the tournament, when he stated that the primary goal was to advance to the knockout stage from a favorable position.

South Korea kicked off their campaign on a positive note, securing a 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic in their opener. So far in this World Cup, South Korea is the only team to have claimed a come-from-behind win. However, Mexico presents an entirely different caliber of opposition. Ranked 12th in the live FIFA rankings as of June 17 (local time), Mexico is faster, more technical, and more organized than the 44th-ranked Czech Republic. Aside from being a traditional powerhouse that consistently advances past the group stage, they also hold a distinct home-field advantage for this tournament.

Hong did not hide his caution regarding the opponents. "Mexico is completely different from the Czech Republic in terms of play style and everything else. We have thoroughly aligned with the players on those aspects this week," he noted. "The opposition will certainly come out very aggressively, and we must be well-prepared to counter that."

The national team previously displayed a strong performance during a friendly against Mexico in the United States last September. At that time, goals from Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas) put South Korea on the verge of victory, but a stoppage-time equalizer in the second half resulted in a 2-2 draw. "We learned valuable lessons from that match," Hong recalled.

The upcoming fixture will be played under the heavy influence of passionate home fans. "The players are well aware of the various advantages the host nation enjoys. Our squad has plenty of experience playing in front of massive crowds. The key will be pinpointing the exact moment to seize control of the game and establish our rhythm," Hong stressed.

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South Korea national football team's Hwang In-beom answers questions during an official press conference held at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico on June 17 (local time), a day ahead of the match against Mexico at the 2026 World Cup. Hwang delivered a stellar performance in the first match against the Czech Republic, recording one goal and one assist to be named Man of the Match (MOM). / Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

He also touched upon Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), a core pillar of the defense. "While an individual's capability is important in defending, the organizational aspect is absolutely critical," Hong explained. "The opposition strikers are adept at making sudden runs behind the backline, and you can lose track of them in a split second. In those moments, defensive organization and chemistry among players are vital."

Furthermore, regarding the tournament's expansion to a 48-team format which extended the preparation time between fixtures, he noted, "One week was more than enough time for the players to recover and prepare for the match." However, he added, "Matches are always about relativity. Not everything plays out exactly as prepared, so how well we can control variables on the pitch during the game will be highly important."

Having lifted their spirits with the victory against the Czech Republic, South Korea is now set to face another major test against traditional powerhouses Mexico. To achieve the goal of going beyond the 2002 semifinals set by manager Hong Myung-bo, it is crucial to advance to the knockout stage as either the group winner or runner-up. South Korea will clash with Mexico in their second group stage match at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara on June 18 (local time; 10 a.m. on June 19, KST). 

                                                                                                        Cheon Hyeon-bin