South Korea Meets Mexico on Thursday With Group A Lead at Stake

M. m. Friday South Korean time. Both teams won their first Group A matches last week. Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0.

South Korea came from behind to beat Czechia 2-1. The winner of Thursday's match will lead Group A ahead of final group games against weaker opponents. South Korea has never won its second match in 11 previous World Cup appearances, recording four draws and seven losses.

The record includes a 2-1 loss to Mexico at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. South Korea has won consecutive World Cup matches only once, defeating Portugal 1-0 and Italy 2-1 in 2002 before beating Spain on penalties in the quarterfinals.

The teams drew 2-2 in Nashville, Tennessee, in September 2025, with Son Heung-min and Oh Hyeon-gyu scoring for South Korea. Son Heung-min started against Czechia but was replaced in the second half by Oh Hyeon-gyu, who scored the go-ahead goal in the 80th minute. Both players are expected to start against Mexico, with Son on the left and Oh as striker.

Son has appeared in four World Cup tournaments, tying the South Korean record, and has three career World Cup goals, also tying the record. Jimenez overcame a life-threatening head injury in late 2020 to reach his fourth World Cup.

Seventeen-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora entered as a substitute against South Africa and became the youngest Mexican to play in a World Cup match; he is also the youngest player in the 2026 tournament. Team captain Edson Alvarez, who entered as a substitute against South Africa, may start in defense.

South Korean players trained at Chivas Verde Valle in Zapopan on June 15, 2026. Hong Myung-bo is South Korea's head coach.