Defender Kim Min-jae praises South Africa's skills, speed but says victory is still possible
Center back Kim Min-jae acknowledged South Africa's skills and speed during a prematch press conference, but said that Korea could still win as long as the team "plays the way that it did in the two earlier matches."
Published
Kim Min-jae speaks during an official press conference at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on June 23.NEWS1
Korean center back Kim Min-jae said on Tuesday that he and his teammates on defense must be on their toes against the highly skilled opponents of South Africa in their final Group A match of the FIFA World Cup.
Korea and South Africa will clash at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, northeastern Mexico, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, with a knockout berth on the line. Korea will advance with a win or a draw, and South Africa will move on if they beat Korea and the Czech Republic loses to Mexico that same day.
"South African players have good skills, and they're also fast," Kim said at his prematch press conference. "We've been focusing on those areas during training. But if we play the way that we did in the two earlier matches, I think that we should be able to come away with a win."
Korea opened the tournament by beating the Czech Republic 2-1 on June 11 but lost to Mexico 1-0 on Thursday.
South Africa lost 2-0 to Mexico in their opener and played the Czech Republic to a 1-1 draw, dominating the second half in the latter match.
Kim, the center back for Bayern Munich who is competing at his second straight World Cup, is a key member of Korea's veteran group. When captain Son Heung-min is subbed out, Kim, 29, inherits the armband.
Asked about his leadership, Kim grinned sheepishly and said, "My teammates are already full of confidence. I don't know why I'm being hailed as a good leader.
Kim Min-jae speaks during an official press conference at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on June 23.YONHAP
"The key is to get on the same page on the pitch, and that's what we've been talking about all along," he added. "My teammates know that my job isn't necessarily to lead but to provide whatever help they need in the background."
In head coach Hong Myung-bo's back-three formation, Kim has been flanked by two World Cup debutants, Lee Gi-hyuk on the left and Lee Han-beom on the right.
"Before the World Cup, they seemed to be lacking confidence, and they looked lost," Kim said. "But they've been playing really well. They're both really capable players. I try to help them be more aggressive, and I think that their confidence has made a big difference."
Stuck at work or school when Korea kicks off? We've got you covered. The Korea JoongAng Daily is live-blogging every Korea match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, around the clock. Don't miss a moment.
