As the World Cup kicked things off with wins by Mexico (2-0 v South Africa) and South Korea (2-1 v Czechia), fans of Mexico and South Korea have formed a special bond while celebrating their nation’s victories.
“¡Coreano, hermano, ya eres mexicano!” Mexico fans chanted while celebrating with Korean fans in the streets, which translates to “Korean, brother, you are now Mexican!”
Another video went viral showing a lone South Korean supporter surrounded by thousands of Mexican fans, and instead of feeling out of place, he was embraced and thrown into the air as Mexican fans were all smiling, laughing, and celebrating around him.
“This is what the FIFA World Cup is all about, different nations, cultures, and supporters coming together to enjoy the beautiful game,” allstarsapp wrote on the Instagram post. “No matter which team you support, football has a unique way of uniting people, and this Korean fan enjoying the party among the Mexican faithful was a perfect example of that. 🇰🇷❤️🇲🇽⚽️🌎”
Football influencer Jack Gilbert talked about the bond between Mexico and South Korea fans in a recent Instagram post, saying, “The South Koreans don’t look like they’re ever gonna leave!”
South Korea Star Heung-min Son Comments on Matchup vs. Mexico
Longtime leader of the South Korean national soccer team, Heung-min Son, commented on the eventual matchup against Mexico on their home turf.
“Obviously, I think when you’re hosting the World Cup, there’s a lot of benefits, a lot of home fans, a lot of advantages but it is how it is in football and we love that and that’s why we love underdogs, and I would love to, obviously I’m in LA, I’ve seen a lot of Mexican footballers and Mexican fans and I love them and yeah it’s going to be fun and obviously we’re gonna fight for the wins and it’s going to be a really good experience so I already played once against Mexico in 2018 in the World Cup so yeah.
Mexico has always been the toughest opponent and great, great quality players, so yeah we look forward to a big match.”
Mexico and South Korea will be the main matchup to keep an eye on in Group A, especially now that both countries top the group with three points.
This Isn’t the First Time Mexico and South Korea Shared an Unlikely Bond During the World Cup
Back during the 2018 World Cup, all seemed lost for Mexico after Sweden scored three unanswered goals, with the nation needing the unthinkable from South Korea as they faced Germany.
The beauty of the World Cup is the impossible is possible, and Korea stunned Germany with a late goal, beating the powerhouse and helping Mexico move on to the knockout stage.
“Thank you Korea,” Celcilia Gonzalez, a then 22-year-old student, told the AFP news agency at a bar in Mexico City. “I don’t even know quite where it is, but thank you, thank you.”
What Lies Ahead for Both Countries
The good news for both Mexico and South Korea is that both nations have three points after their victories. Mexico has the edge over Korea with a +2 goal differential, compared to Korea’s +1 GD.
The bad news? They’ll have to pause the special bond and face off against each other on June 18th, 9:00 PM Eastern Time in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Mexico opens as the slight favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, sitting at +100 while South Korea is +300.
Mexico, South Korea Fans Form Special Bond During World Cup