▲ Mexico players training at the national team training center on June 9 (local time)
Mexico, the second opponent of the South Korean national team in the group stage of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, is putting the finishing touches on its preparations in a bright atmosphere ahead of the spectacular opening match to be held on home soil.
The Mexican national team, led by head coach Javier Aguirre, continued its training for the World Cup finals on June 9 (local time) at the national team training center in Mexico City, Mexico.
Mexico, a powerhouse in North and Central America with a FIFA ranking of 14th, is co-hosting this tournament with the United States and Canada.
The team is also set to kick off the world's greatest football festival by playing the official opening match against South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium on June 12 at 4:00 a.m. KST.
The Mexican national team has been dedicated to its preparations, setting up a camp a month before the opening of the World Cup to be held at home.
Among the three host nations, Mexico currently holds the highest FIFA ranking (14th) and boasts the most illustrious World Cup history.
With Mexico being a country with one of the most passionate football cultures in the world, and this being the first time the World Cup finals are held in the country since it hosted the tournament alone in 1986, the atmosphere both inside and outside the training ground was already heating up.
Local police were deployed from about 2 km away from the training ground, creating a rigorous atmosphere, and about 80 domestic and international media members flocked to the training ground, creating a bustling scene.
When mixed zone interviews were held with players including European-based defender Johan Vásquez (Genoa), the area was so crowded with numerous broadcast cameras surrounding the players that it was difficult to even see their faces.
With all 26 players participating without any injuries or absences, the training session was open to the media for only the first 15 minutes. The Mexican players were in a lively mood from the start, passing the ball around and joking with each other.
Three goalkeepers, including veteran Guillermo Ochoa (Limassol), who is making his sixth consecutive World Cup appearance, underwent separate training, while the field players stood in a circle at the center circle to warm up.
They played a game during the open session where three players had to enter the circle and try to take the ball from the other players. The ground was noisy with shouts from players trying to steal the ball or keep possession with every touch.
There were even "body slams" as players bumped into each other in excitement.
Vásquez met with reporters on-site that day and said, "The atmosphere seems good. I'm very much looking forward to the opening. I've really been waiting for this," adding, "We are refining the final details to make this a great World Cup."
As the allotted 15 minutes passed, officials ushered the media out, and the subsequent session could not be seen. However, a line dividing one side of the pitch in half had been installed, signaling detailed tactical training in a confined space.
The Mexican national team will hold an official training session at the training center the day before the match, and a press conference featuring head coach Aguirre and others will be held at the Mexico City Stadium, the venue for the opening match.
Following the opening match against South Africa, Mexico will face South Korea on June 19 at 10:00 a.m. KST in a match that will be a watershed moment in the competition for first place in Group A.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.