Mexico - Marking the return

Gimenez and Jimenez – the dynamic duo in Mexico's attack. Photo: Tienphong.

Following the shock of being eliminated from the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, Mexican football welcomed back coach Javier Aguirre and assistant Rafael Márquez, and subsequently experienced a strong resurgence with victories in the CONCACAF Nations League and the Gold Cup.

And with most of their group stage matches played at home, Mexico is considered the strongest team in Group A, because, clearly, in addition to their technical skills, they also receive a huge dose of "mental doping" from the stands.

In addition to the factors mentioned above, Mexico's strength lies in its balance, possessing power on both flanks and a combination of experience and youth. Most notably, Santiago Giménez in attack and the seasoned Raul Jimenez are key players.

However, the quality of Mexico's players is questionable, as most play domestically, and when facing fast-paced opponents, their defense often falters.

South Korea - A counterweight from Asia

In their 12th World Cup appearance, under coach Hong Myung-bo, the South Korean team remains true to their signature high-energy style of football. However, unlike the generation that relied heavily on speed and fighting spirit, the current South Korean team boasts more players currently playing in Europe, which allows them to control the game better and diversify their approaches to the opponent's goal.

South Korea's strength lies in the fact that all three lines of their team have players currently playing in top leagues around the world . Besides their incredible physical fitness, they are also a harmonious blend of experience from Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae with the creativity of Lee Kang-in, and they are very dangerous with their high-speed counter-attacks.

But like many other teams, South Korea still has gaps behind their defense when they push too high up the pitch. Furthermore, the lack of squad depth is a cause for concern among fans once the team progresses further, as there is a significant gap between the starting strikers and the reserves.

Czech Republic – The "dark horse" of the group

After a two-decade absence from the World Cup, the Czech Republic marked an emotional return. In their journey to secure points in the qualifying rounds, the team had an impressive unbeaten run in the final stages with dramatic matches, most notably victories against two strong opponents, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark, on penalties, showcasing the character and fighting spirit of the European representatives.

Under the guidance of coach Ivan Hasek, the Czech Republic's strengths lie in their experience, defensive capabilities, and tenacious fighting spirit, with Patrik Schick, Ladislav Krejci, and Pavel Sulc being particularly noteworthy players.

However, compared to Mexico and South Korea, the Czech Republic doesn't possess many stars who can change the course of a match. Nevertheless, if they make good use of set pieces, the Czech Republic can certainly compete for second place.

South Africa – Promises to surprise

South Africa is perhaps the most underestimated team in Group A. However, their return to the World Cup after 16 years shows significant progress under coach Hugo Broos.

Unlike the improvisational, or rather somewhat naive, style of play of most other African teams, South Africa arrives at the 2026 World Cup with a completely different image. They are a team not reliant on any single star player, and their discipline, defensive organization, and lightning-fast counter-attacks are their hallmarks.

Like Mexico, South Africa's biggest limitation is that most of their players are playing domestically and lack experience on the world stage. Nevertheless, with names like Teboho Mokoena, Ronwen Williams, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Lyle Foster, they still have the potential to be a major "spoiler" in Group A.

Son Heung-min's experience will help South Korea advance. Photo: FIFA

In theory, with their stability, home advantage, quality players, and good form during preparation, Mexico and South Korea are likely to secure the two direct qualification spots.

However, the World Cup is always a tournament of surprises. Not only did the Czech Republic have the potential to qualify as one of the eight best third-placed teams in their groups, but they could also beat either South Korea or Mexico to secure direct qualification based on their experience, tenacity, and pragmatism – as demonstrated by their victories over the Republic of Ireland and Denmark in the qualifying rounds – a European team that has been runner-up twice in this tournament.

Meanwhile, the squad has almost no players who play abroad, except for midfielder Percy Tau who previously played for Brighton & Hove Albion (England); Union SG, Club Brugge, Anderlecht (Belgium); Al Ahly (Egypt); Qatar SC (Qatar) and Nam Dinh Steel Club (Vietnam).

And this is what will make Group A one of the most anticipated groups right from the opening day of the biggest football event on the planet.

Match schedule for Group A teams (Vietnam time)

Round 1

2 PM (June 12): Mexico – South Africa

9:00 AM (June 12): South Korea – Czech Republic

Round 2:

11 PM (June 18): Czech Republic – South Africa

8:00 AM (June 19th): Mexico vs. South Korea

Round 3:

8:00 AM (June 25th): Czech Republic – Mexico

8:00 AM (June 25th): South Africa – South Korea

HAN DANG

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/the-thao/bong-da/bang-dau-cua-nhung-bat-ngo-166233.html