06/06/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | JUNE 6, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

Group A M EXICO will play all three games on home turf, where altitude advantage could play its part. Yet El Tri must show they can handle the pressure that comes with being co-hosts.

Mexico, South Korea, Czech Rep & South Africa

Mexico dream of quarterfinal repeat

IF history is any guide, co-hosts Mexico will kickoff the World Cup with every reason to be confident of comfortably advancing into the knockout rounds from Group A. Mexico, the only country to host three World Cups, reached the quarterfinals on the two previous occasions the tournament was played on home soil, in 1970 and 1986. The co-hosts get the tournament under way against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on Friday June 12 (3am Malaysian time) before later first round games against South Korea and the Czech Republic. With a consistent record of reaching the last 16 in the seven World Cups spanning 1994 and 2018, Mexico have enough tourna ment pedigree to suggest that qualification from Group A should be straightforward. While the 2022 tournament bucked that trend – Mexico exited in the first round after a dismal campaign – recent results have sug gested a return to form. Veteran coach Javier Aguirre, who led Mexico at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, returned for a third spell in charge in 2024 and led El Tri to victories in last year’s Concacaf Nations League and Concacaf Gold Cups. Few coaches understand the pressure sur rounding Mexico better than him. With managerial experience in Spain, Japan and the Middle East, “El Vasco” has always been

file of the modern Mexican defender: attack minded, intense and constantly involved on both sides of the pitch, especially Reyes, who has adapted from centreback to rightback. Mexico may no longer boast the most talented gen eration of players, but they do have

uncomfortable to face and tough. Mexico do not try to dominate through endless possession; they play with intensity, aggressive pressing and quick transitions. Aguirre wants to make his team uncomfort able to face, something that was evident in the recent friendlies against Portugal and Belgium. As he puts it: “At a World Cup, the team that plays the prettiest football does not always win. The team that knows how to compete does.” A flexible 4-3-3 that can become a 4-2 3-1 or even a 4-4-2 depending on the opponents is most often used. Edson Alvarez operates as the midfield anchor, Erik Lira acts as the silent worker who balances everything while Gilberto Mora, Brian Gutierrez and Alvaro Fidalgo pro vide movement between the lines. Out wide, Alexis Vega and Roberto Alvarado bring pace and unpredictabil ity, while Raul Jimenez and Armando Gonzalez alternate as attacking out lets. Defensively, Mexico have

THE Czech Republic named a pre liminary World Cup squad that leans heavily on long-time national team players led by West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek as they prepare to return to the tournament after a 20 year absence. The players who featured in the successful playoff wins against Ireland and Denmark make up the core of the squad, including Wolverhampton defender Ladislav Krejci, Olympique Lyonnais mid fielder Pavel Sulc and 35-year-old Vladimir Darida, who plies his trade in the Czech top tier for Hradec Kralove. Hoffenheim striker Adam Hlozek, who has had injury problems, also returns and 17-year-old Sparta Prague midfielder Hugo Sochurek gets a chance to make his interna tional debut. The national team is led by 74 year-old Miroslav Koubek, who took over the national team following a shock qualification loss to the Faroe Islands and guided the Czechs through the playoffs to their first World Cup appearance since 2006. “The group is extremely tough, also because of the climate we will face,” Koubek, a serious-looking man Their biggest challenge in Group A is likely to come from South Korea, who enter the tournament on the back of an unbeaten 16-game qualifying campaign. An ever-present at the World Cup since qualifying for the 1986 finals in Mexico, South Korea reached the last 16 in Qatar and will fancy their chances of charting a path to the knockout rounds once again. Head coach Hong Myung-bo, who took over in 2024 after a troubled one year reign under Jurgen Klinsmann, has a squad studded with European-based players, notably Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in and Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae. In attack, former Tottenham forward Son Heung-min will provide the goal threat, although the Major League Soccer-based veteran arrives at the tour nament in miserable domestic form, hav ing failed to score for Los Angeles FC this season. The Czech Republic are the lone European team in the group, and have everything to prove after a haphazard qualifying campaign that included a seis mic 2-1 defeat to the Faroe Islands that led to the dismissal of coach Ivan Hasek last October. Miroslav Koubek, 74, replaced Hasek and subsequently guided the team through the playoffs with back-to-back defeats of Ireland and Denmark, both games won on penalties. South Africa meanwhile are making only their fourth appearance at the World Cup and their first since hosting the 2010 tournament. The Bafana Bafana have never pro gressed past the group stage, and will look to buck that trend under the guid ance of 74-year-old Belgian coach Hugo Broos, who steered Cameroon to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2017.

an experienced squad used to

constant criti cism and the pressure of playing at home. The biggest challenge will be psychological: turning the pres sure of the Azteca into positive energy rather than anxi ety.

more clarity. Johan Vasquez has established himself as the most reliable centreback thanks to his Serie A experience with Genoa, while Cssar Montes provides leadership and aerial dominance. At fullback Jesus Gallardo and Israel Reyes maintain the pro

known as a pragmatic, direct and emotionally strong coach. He does not promise specta cle, he promises com petitiveness. His return in 2024 was intended to restore character and sta bility after years of inconsistency. Aguirre emphasises a robust mentality. “You have to learn how to suffer,” he says. Rather than building a dazzling national team, he wants one that is resilient,

Javier Aguirre

Czechs lean on experience

who occasional flashes a smile, told reporters. “Our goal is to reach the playoffs. That would be a suc cess,” Koubek added. The Czechs will play against

Two played in the Premier League this season –

Krejci at Wolvers and Soucek at West Ham. Two have stood out elsewhere with Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick scoring 16 goals in the Bundesliga this season, and Lyon midfielder Sulc notched 11 in Ligue 1. Most of the rest are from Czech champions Slavia Prague and their arch-rivals and runners-up Sparta Prague. “From day one I will remind the boys that we’re not just going to take part. We won’t be there just to have fun,” Koubek said. He added he would like to improve the playing style compared with the defensive play-off tactics. “We have a vision. But don’t think we’re going to play tiki-taka, we just can’t do that.” Just after the Czechs qualified, media predicted they will reach the World Cup knockout stage. Koubek waved the prognosis aside: “I wouldn’t mind, but I don’t take it too seriously. The truth lies on the pitch.” “Besides, the computers churning out these forecasts have got it totally wrong. Although they could be right for once this time.” – AFP

let the team toss him in the air to celebrate

South Korea in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, against South Africa in the southern US city of Atlanta and then co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City. The Czech Republic have not missed a single Euro tournament since becoming an independ

after the Denmark game, before facing the cam eras with tear-stained eyes and assuming the mantle of the tournament’s elder statesman. He admitted he partied “until the morning” after the game. But that was an exception as his rules include “discipline, both on the pitch and in private, and giving absolutely everything in the game”. Koubek took over the national team this year after a humiliating the loss to Faroe Islands and a 5-0 trashing by Croatia in the World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign. Hailing the new job as “a refreshing change”, Koubek said he needs to “see everything myself and make my own opin ion”. But he faces a tough challenge at the helm of a team where just a handful of players ply their trade in Europe’s top leagues.

ent country in 1993, but this World Cup will be only their sec ond since then, fol lowing a speedy exit from the 2006 tourna ment. They secured qualification after two nerve-wracking play off games at home against Ireland and Denmark, winning both on penalties after focusing largely on defence. Koubek brushed dignity aside when he

Miroslav Koubek