South Korea football team risk early World Cup exit after Mexico lineup shift

South Korea, ranked 25th by FIFA, is competing in Group A of the North‑Central America World Cup tournament alongside Mexico, South Africa and the Czech Republic. Korean media warned that Mexico’s likely rotation of players for its upcoming match against the Czech Republic could create an “unforeseen” scenario that might push South Korea out of the group stage early. Analysts highlighted that a loss to South Africa would drop Korea to third place, while a Mexican defeat could further jeopardise their chance of advancing.

In parallel, former international player Park Chi‑sun criticised coach Hwang Myung‑bo’s handling of star striker Son Heung‑min, noting Son’s frequent isolation on the pitch, lack of service and early substitutions that sap his energy. Park called for better tactical design to exploit Son’s finishing ability and said the coach must bear responsibility for any negative results stemming from these decisions.