MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — Hong Myung-bo is expecting the atmosphere to feel like a home game when his South Korea team plays South Africa in its last World Cup Group A encounter in Monterrey.A large number of Mexican fans supported the Taeguk Warriors when they defeated Czech Republic 2-1 in the opening game in Guadalajara, and head coach Hong expects similar support on Wednesday.“We may feel like this is our home ground tomorrow, and that is a very big gift to our players,” said Hong, who was captain of the South Korea team that reached the semifinals when it co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with Japan. “We will use that very well so we can play a good game tomorrow.”There’s a strong reason for the support.In 2018, South Korea upset Germany 2-0 to send Mexico into the round of 16 and Mexican fans famously marched to South Korea’s consulate in Monterrey to celebrate, chanting “Coreano, hermano, ya eres Mexicano (Korean brother, you are now Mexican)!”
Since then, football fans from the two nations have developed a bond despite a difference in soccer culture.“Mexican fans have a lot of energy – more energy than us,” Lee Ha-young, a fan who traveled from Seoul, South Korea, said. “We have the same energy in our hearts, but it’s really hard to express because in Korean culture it’s not easy to express our feelings.”
