Coach Hong Myung-bo Arrives at Decisive Venue: "We Will Enhance Tactical Completeness"

Countdown to the Czech Match: "Completing Tactical Combinations in Three Days"

"The World Cup Is the Stage of Dreams... I Hope the Players Enjoy Themselves"

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the Korean national football team, emphasized the completeness of tactical combinations as his first statement after arriving in Guadalajara, Mexico, the site of the decisive matches.

On the afternoon of June 6 (local time), Coach Hong held a press conference at Korea House, located within Chivas Valle Verde in Zapopan, the base camp training ground in Guadalajara, Mexico. He stated, "Now is the time to improve completeness," adding, "We will focus our training by considering the aspect of (starting) combinations."

Coach Hong and the national team players arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico, the previous day. The Hong Myung-bo squad will play their first Group A match of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup against the Czech Republic at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara on June 11. Estadio Akron is located at an elevation of 1,571 meters. The team had set up a pre-camp in Salt Lake City, USA, at an altitude of 1,460 meters starting May 18, where they completed high-altitude adaptation training before moving to Guadalajara.

During the pre-camp, the team played two friendly matches in Salt Lake City, defeating Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 and El Salvador 1-0.

Head Coach Hong Myung-bo of the national soccer team, participating in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, held a press conference on the 6th (local time) at the base camp training ground, Chivas Valle Verde in Guadalajara, Mexico, ahead of the official training. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Coach Hong said, "We analyzed internally the strengths and weaknesses that emerged from the two friendly matches," and added, "In the remaining period, it is important to make the team more mature." He further explained, "Since there isn't enough time to do too many things in the remaining days, we will focus on a few key points to increase completeness."

Regarding their first opponent, the Czech Republic, he said, "They are a physically strong team and not easy to deal with," emphasizing, "We especially need to pay attention to set pieces and crossing situations."

The national team interacted with local fans on this day through a 'Community Training' event hosted by FIFA, and will begin full-scale tactical training starting June 7. On June 10, the day before the match, a press conference and official training session are scheduled.

Coach Hong noted that, in reality, there are only three days left for tactical training. He said, "The players have a good overall understanding of the model (tactical plan) we want to implement," and added, "We plan to concentrate on adjusting combinations and conduct intensive training over the remaining three days."

Regarding the climate variables in Guadalajara, he commented, "We are continuously checking the weather. There is rain in the forecast almost every afternoon, and yesterday evening, it rained very heavily." He continued, "I plan to discuss with the players whether to train in the morning or afternoon and decide on the training schedule accordingly."

On this day, FIFA published an interview with Coach Hong on its website. FIFA introduced him as someone who will appear on the World Cup stage for the seventh time. Coach Hong participated as a player in four World Cups starting with the 1990 tournament in Italy, served as chief coach at the 2006 tournament in Germany, and took the field as head coach in the 2014 Brazil World Cup and again for this World Cup.

Coach Hong specifically mentioned the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, which was his last as a player. He recalled, "During the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, Korea was going through a difficult period after the financial crisis, but reaching the semifinals brought great joy to the nation," adding, "Watching the people come together as one gave me a strong sense of pride."

However, he stressed that the glory of 2002 should not become a burden for the current national team players. Coach Hong said, "It’s good if the players accept the achievements of that time as a positive image, but I don't want it to become a burden," continuing, "I hope they prepare well and are able to enjoy the World Cup."

Coach Hong stated, "The World Cup itself is the dream of every footballer," adding, "A sense of duty and responsibility as national representatives is important, but I hope the players see the World Cup not as something to fear, but as a stage to enjoy."

Head coach Hong Myung-bo of the national soccer team participating in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup watched training of Son Heung-min and Lee Jae-sung at the base camp training ground, Chivas Valle Verde in Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 6th (local time). Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap

He also emphasized the 'fighting spirit' that symbolizes Korean football.

Coach Hong said, "The generations have changed a lot, but fighting spirit remains a strength of the Korean national team," adding, "It’s an important aspect as we prepare for the World Cup and a value that must continue to be developed in the future."

Regarding captain Son Heung-min, he said, "He has played an important role on the national team for several years and I expect him to make a significant contribution in this tournament as well." He continued, "As a veteran, he is highly experienced and knows better than anyone what is needed in the World Cup preparation process." He expressed his trust, adding, "I hope Son Heung-min does not put too much pressure on himself. While I understand the weight he carries as captain, as head coach I am trying to ease that burden as much as possible."

Coach Hong emphasized, "Many of our players are now playing on the European stage, so unlike in the past, there is hardly any fear of the global stage." He added, "If we continue to build confidence and mutual trust, Korean football will no longer be a team that causes upsets, but can become a strong team that confidently competes with the world's top nations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.