Monterrey Koreans rally behind national team at FIFA World Cup

MONTERREY, Mexico — "Just seeing our national team makes my heart swell with pride. As people say these days, it's a real 'gukppong' moment." As Korea's national football team arrived in Monterrey on Sunday (local time) for its final Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, more than 100 members of the local Korean community, dressed in red, gathered outside the team's hotel hours before the players' arrival. Despite temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius by 3:30 p.m., the fans waited patiently, chatting about the team, taking photos and eagerly anticipating the players' arrival. Their excitement easily outweighed the oppressive heat. Yoon Tae-sung, 50, who first came to Mexico as an expatriate employee a decade ago and now runs his own business, was among those waiting with his three children. "We arrived three hours early," Yoon said. "It's a long wait, but it doesn't feel difficult at all. The national team reminds those of us living abroad that we're Koreans." He added with a laugh, "I bought tickets for my entire family of five through a Korean restaurant — 7,500 pesos (aboWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times