Foreign media outlets have issued a string of harsh reviews of the match between South Korea's national football team and Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.
South Korea played its second Group A group-stage match against Mexico on June 19 (Korea time) but suffered a 0-1 defeat after conceding a goal. Both teams were in a position to secure the top spot in the group with a victory, but they focused on defense rather than attack with cautious play, leaving both sides facing assessments of a "boring match."
According to foreign media on June 20, the global sports outlet The Athletic noted, "This was the match with the lowest combined expected goals (xG) at this World Cup," adding that "no one will turn this match into a highlight video." Indeed, Mexico managed just 0.53 xG from eight shots over 90 minutes, while South Korea recorded only 0.91 xG from nine shots. The two sides had just six and 11 touches inside the opponent's box, respectively.
The Athletic pointed out, "Mexico was cautious, frustrating even when in possession, and lacked the attacking energy that home fans expect," adding that "South Korea was also very disappointing."
The UK's BBC also expressed disappointment over the absence of aggressive attacking play from South Korea in its live text commentary. It strongly criticized the game, saying, "This was the most boring match since the World Cup began," and "Group A is the lowest-quality group in this tournament." It added, "South Korea is not passionate in the attacking areas," and "it doesn't look like South Korea would score even if they played this match until 2030."
The British daily The Guardian also criticized the South Korean team's performance in an article headlined "Korea's fatal error hands Mexico the win." The Guardian noted, "Mexico has yet to show creativity, and South Korea appears to lack sharpness in attack," adding that "the match was largely devoid of notable moments." The Norwegian daily VG likewise wrote, "The performance was not impressive at all, and the fans were not satisfied either."
