'First World Cup Opponent' Czech Coach: "Son Heung-min is a Korean Legend... Hong Myung-bo's Team Has a Strong Attack" [Guadalajara On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Miroslav Koubek, head coach of the Czech national team, South Korea's first opponent in the World Cup, warned of a direct confrontation one day before the opening match.

The Czech national team, led by Coach Koubek, will face the Hong Myung-bo-led team in the first match of the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup Group A at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara at 11 a.m. (Korean time) on the 12th.

At a formal press conference held at the same venue at 3:30 p.m. (local time) following Coach Hong Myung-bo, Coach Koubek stated, "I naturally feel the excitement that the World Cup has begun. I sense tension and passion." He added, "When I was in Dallas, USA, I didn't feel it much, but now that I've arrived in Mexico, the tension is finally coming."

He further explained, "People always talk about topics like weather or high-altitude adaptation, but I personally do not accept such excuses. I have always managed well."

Although the Czech Republic is ranked 41st in the FIFA rankings in Group A of this tournament, 16 spots below South Korea (25th), their recent momentum and strength are fierce. After the coaching change, the Czech team drew 2-2 against difficult opponents Ireland and Denmark in the European World Cup qualifiers, then secured their spot in the finals after a grueling penalty shootout, demonstrating terrifying concentration. Of the four goals scored at that time, three came from precise set-piece situations, making their dead-ball situations particularly powerful.

When asked to analyze the strength of their opponent, South Korea, Coach Koubek said, "That is a very big question." He noted, "The two teams are very different, with different strengths and weapons. It is important to make the best use of Czech players to stop South Korea's powerful attack."

Regarding the issue of South Korea's high-altitude adaptation compared to the Czech team, which arrived in Guadalajara only two days before the match and had a short time to stay, he said, "This is a question I always hear." He emphasized, "The Czech team, like all participating countries in the World Cup, played well in the final qualifiers, including the match against Denmark, to reach this stage."

He also stated firmly, "Adapting to the given situation is what football is about. Of course, adapting to high altitude is important, but we will see how it goes on the field. I do not want to be discouraged just because there is insufficient time for high-altitude adaptation."

Regarding the starting lineup for the match against South Korea, he said, "It seems to have been finalized two days ago," and added, "We created the lineup considering the opponent's characteristics."

When asked who the most critical player to guard against is, he immediately pointed to Son Heung-min (LAFC). When Coach Koubek was asked to name other players who could be a threat besides Son Heung-min, he answered clearly, "The answer is simple. Son Heung-min is a threat."

He even stated, "Son Heung-min is a Korean legend. South Korea is a team with excellent offense. They have excellent forwards lined up, making them a team that can threaten the Czech Republic."

At the same time, he showed confidence by saying, "The Czech Republic also has excellent players, and we played well in the match against Denmark during the European qualifiers. We should be able to handle South Korea's excellent offense sufficiently."

Regarding the so-called "shirt trick," where the former South Korean national team changed players' jersey numbers to confuse opponents during friendly matches, he smiled and said, "The opponent's plan is something they decide themselves. The different jersey numbers were a kind of surprise. However, we have already figured out all the South Korean players, so it was not a problem at all."

Finally, Coach Koubek said the message he would convey to the players before the match is, "I always emphasize three things: team play, unity, and achieving the dreams of childhood." He stressed, "They must prove these on the field, and I too must work hard together with everyone."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.