▲ The Mexican national team during training on June 12 (local time)
After a commanding victory in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Mexican national football team has put the celebration behind them and begun preparations for their upcoming clash against South Korea, a pivotal match in the race for the top spot in Group A.
The Mexican team, led by head coach Javier Aguirre, held a recovery training session today at the national training center in Mexico City.
Mexico, one of the co-hosts of this tournament alongside the United States and Canada, currently sits at the top of Group A (3 points, +2 goal difference) after defeating South Africa 2-0 in their first match held at Mexico City Stadium yesterday.
South Korea, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, also secured a 2-1 victory against the Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium on the same day, putting them level with Mexico at the top of the group with 3 points and a +1 goal difference.
Mexico is now preparing for their second match against South Korea, which will take place at Guadalajara Stadium on June 19 at 11:00 a.m. KST.
This match is expected to be a decisive battle that could determine the winner of Group A.
Following the win against South Africa, Coach Aguirre stated, "Now, the match against South Korea is the most important. Everything else is secondary and not a priority," adding, "We are focused on South Korea and are striving to show a better performance than them."
Less than 24 hours after their satisfying victory, the Mexican players arrived at the training ground with relaxed and bright expressions.
From forward Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadsiah), who scored the opening winning goal for his first-ever World Cup score, to key defender César Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), who was unexpectedly sent off in second-half stoppage time, all players took to the pitch to focus on recovery.
During the 15 minutes open to the media, the players warmed up with light jogging around the pitch, followed by footwork exercises using mini hurdles, and then practiced trapping and lifting the ball.
Two hexagons were drawn in the center of the pitch, with four mini-goals set up in one of them, suggesting that the team likely refined their tactical movements during the closed portion of the session.
The Mexican team plans to continue their training at this facility—the equivalent of the Korea Football Center in Cheonan—before traveling to Guadalajara, the site of the second match, on June 16 (local time), two days before the game.
A Mexican team official stated, "It appears they will hold one training session in the morning on that day before moving to Guadalajara in the afternoon."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.