Hugo Broos holds pre-match press conference ahead of Group A finale
'They run like they have batteries inserted'
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has praised South Korea as "very good and strong" ahead of their final Group A match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Speaking at a press conference at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on Wednesday morning (Korean Standard Time), Broos said the upcoming match felt entirely new to him. "A month ago, South Korea was a team I knew nothing about," he said.
Broos said his staff had spent the past few weeks studying South Korea in depth. "We had good technology and equipment, so we were able to gather a lot of information," he said, adding that his side would look to exploit the opponent's weaknesses.
However, he declined to spell out what those weaknesses were. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you specifically what I'm thinking," he said. "We have analyzed how South Korea plays — now it's up to us."
Broos had already offered a vivid assessment of South Korea's fitness after the group's second round of matches, saying the team "starts running as if batteries have been inserted and keeps going for all 90 minutes."
Broos also flagged concerns about Monterrey's hot and humid conditions. "The temperature is something special," he said. "It's not the kind of thing you adapt to in a day or two. Even as a player, I found it hard to get used to heat like this."
South Korea and South Africa meet Thursday at Estadio BBVA in their Group A finale. South Africa, sitting last in the group, must beat South Korea to advance to the round of 32, while South Korea need only a draw to secure their place in the next round.
hyuk@heraldcorp.com
