South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo encourages Baek Seung-ho during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A opener against Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 11. [Yonhap]
South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo encourages Baek Seung-ho during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A opener against Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 11. [Yonhap]

South Korea's national football team is set to take another shot at breaking a World Cup jinx that has held for 72 years — the team has never won a second group-stage match.

Coach Hong Myung-bo's side faces host nation Mexico on Friday at 10 a.m. Korean Standard Time in their Group A second match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. South Korea enter the game on three points after a 2-1 comeback victory over Czech Republic on June 12.

Since their World Cup debut at the 1954 Switzerland tournament, South Korea have played 11 second group-stage matches without a single win — a record of four draws and seven losses. They scored just 10 goals in those 11 games while conceding 31, leaving a goal difference of minus-21 and an average of nearly three goals conceded per match.

Head coach Hong Myung-bo directs his players on passing lanes. [Yonhap]
Head coach Hong Myung-bo directs his players on passing lanes. [Yonhap]

The losses have been heavy throughout. South Korea fell 0-7 to Turkey at their first-ever World Cup in Switzerland in 1954, and 0-5 to the Netherlands at the 1998 France tournament. Even during the semifinal run of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, they could only draw 1-1 with the United States. At the 2010 South Africa tournament, when they reached the round of 16 as an away side, they lost 1-4 to Argentina. Defeats to Algeria (2-4) at the 2014 Brazil World Cup and Ghana (2-3) at the 2022 Qatar World Cup extended the run to four consecutive second-game losses since a draw against France at the 2006 Germany tournament.

South Korea have also never scored first in any of their 11 World Cup second matches. In 10 of those games they conceded the opening goal; the only exception was a goalless draw with Bolivia at the 1994 United States tournament.

Mexico come in with the added advantage of playing on home soil. South Korea's all-time record against Mexico also makes for difficult reading: four wins, three draws and eight losses in 15 meetings, with 20 goals scored against 31 conceded. In World Cup head-to-head play, South Korea have lost both encounters — 1-3 in 1998 and 1-2 in 2018.

Mexico top Group A after beating South Africa 2-0 in their opener, while South Korea sit second following their win over Czech Republic. Friday's match is in effect a battle for first place in the group.

“축의금 대신 밥만 먹고 가래요”…재혼 동료 결혼식 초대에 ‘난감’

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