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It was a surprising loss. The rival team didn’t perform well—our poor abilities were clearly evident.

The South Korean national football team, participating in the FIFA World Cup held in North America, fell 0-1 to South Africa at Estadio Monterrey in Mexico on June 25. South Africa, ranked 61st by FIFA (International Football Federation), did not have any players from the major European leagues among the 14 starters in the match against South Korea. Despite being considered the weakest side in Group A, South Korea (ranked 24th) failed to generate a single meaningful opportunity and conceded the crucial goal in the 18th minute of the second half. Coach Hong Myung-bo’s decision to leave captain Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup ultimately backfired.

South Korea concluded the group stage in third position (1 win, 2 losses) within Group A, having lost back-to-back matches against Mexico (who secured 3 wins) and South Africa (who had 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss), after previously defeating the Czech Republic. In this World Cup, which includes 48 teams, the top eight third-place teams from each group will qualify for the Round of 32. South Korea will have to wait for the outcomes of other group matches until June 28, when the group stage comes to an end. Among football supporters, there is criticism: “What’s the purpose of reaching the Round of 32 with such a performance?”

This World Cup featured numerous positive circumstances. Initially, the group setup was the most favorable in history. South Korea managed to avoid all top European and South American teams, while the Czech Republic, which qualified through the qualifiers, was seen as the weakest in Europe. The presence of South Africa, the weakest team on the African continent, was welcomed. The match schedule and travel distances were also beneficial. The national team had a strong squad, featuring 19 players playing abroad. With Son Heung-min leading the attack, Lee Kang-in in midfield, and Kim Min-jae in defense, the team was recognized as the best “golden generation” since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.

However, South Korea fell apart by itself. During the three group-stage matches, the team used repetitive attacks and was beaten by South Africa. KBS commentator Park Chan-ha described it as “the worst performance in World Cup history,” noting, “I don’t know if they even aimed to defeat South Africa or what strategies they had in place for a win.”

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