▲ Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu drops the ball after colliding with Lee Ki-hyuk while trying to handle an aerial ball.
"I thought only my teammates were around, so I tried to catch it safely... but that's how it turned out."
Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo), the starting goalkeeper for the South Korean national team led by head coach Hong Myung-bo at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressed his regret over the winning goal conceded to Mexico in their second group stage match, saying, "I should have been more focused."
The South Korean national football team, managed by Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to Mexico in their second Group A match of the tournament's group stage, held at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 19 (KST).
While the disappointment of failing to secure any points was significant, the manner in which they conceded the goal was particularly painful.
During a cross from the flank by Mexico, defender Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC) competed with an opposing attacker and cleared the ball with a header.
The ball soared high in front of the penalty area, and as Kim Seung-gyu rushed out to catch it, he collided with Lee Ki-hyuk and fell, dropping the ball.
The ball fell right in front of Mexican attacker Luis Romo, who slotted it home with his right foot.
Romo's goal proved to be the match-winner.
It was a devastating blow for the national team, which had played a tight first half against Mexico and was looking to score in the second half.
Despite the regret over the goal conceded due to a mistake, Kim Seung-gyu made several brilliant saves today.
In the 20th minute of the first half, he dived to block a header by Mexico's Julián Quiñones from the center of the goal area. In the 30th minute of the second half, he blocked a powerful shot by Raúl Jiménez from the right side of the goal area with his body, preventing further damage.
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the match, Kim said, "Due to the nature of the goalkeeper position, you can play well but still receive poor evaluations because of a single conceded goal. Today, the result turned out bad. I should have been more focused during the goal-conceding situation, but because I wasn't, the outcome changed like this."
Reflecting on the goal, Kim expressed his regret, saying, "The ball was in the air, and since I judged that only my teammates were around, I tried to go out and catch it safely, but it ended up like this."
He added, "Communication calls also need to be made quickly depending on the situation. My call might not have been heard clearly, and it was a situation where several factors combined."
During the hydration break in the second half, Kim hugged Lee Ki-hyuk as they encouraged each other.
"I told him to forget about it quickly because we still had to keep playing. I told him that as long as the final result is good, that's all that matters," Kim explained. "We told each other that if we hold our ground at the back, our attackers will get one for us."
He continued, "The players also agreed not to let our spirits drop. We still have one match left, and I believe we are in a relatively favorable position. Since we can still advance to the Round of 32 on our own, we must use today as an opportunity to unite once again and perform well in the next match."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.