Player-turned-analyst predicts runner-up finish for S. Korean in group stage

Former footballer and commentator Lee Young-pyo poses at a press conference for KBS's coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held at the KBS Art Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, June 2. Yonhap

Now working as a commentator on television, former FIFA World Cup hero Lee Young-pyo predicted Monday that South Korea will finish second in their group at this year's tournament.

South Korea will be up against Czechia, South Africa and Mexico, one of three co-host countries, in Group A. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups will advance to the knockout stage, joined by the eight best third-place teams.

"Mexico will likely win Group A, considering their recent performance and home advantage," Lee said during his visit to South Korea's training facility near Guadalajara. "And it's highly likely that South Korea will finish second. And that would be a very good start."

Lee, one of the heroes of South Korea's run to the semifinals at the 2002 tournament, said beating Czechia in the first match Thursday will put the Taegeuk Warriors on the right track.

"Grabbing three points in the first match will be crucial for the team's fate," Lee said. "If the players perform the way they are capable of, then they should be able to win. If they don't win the first match, then the pressure will start mounting in the second match. Czechia will be in a similar situation."

Lee gave South Korea an edge in experience.

"Overcoming pressure is part of the equation. Since Czechia are playing in their first World Cup in 20 years, their players are all new to this, and our players are far more experienced," Lee said, with South Korea making their 11th straight World Cup appearance. "Mentally, South Korea should have an advantage."

Lee also said South Korea did well to hold three weeks of altitude training in the U.S. state of Utah before traveling to Mexico for more training in thin air, with Guadalajara, the site of Thursday's match, sitting some 1,500 meters above sea level. Czechia, on the other hand, set up their base camp in Texas and will only land in Mexico on the eve of the match.

Lee said Czechia can present threats in set pieces and aerial duels thanks to their players' height advantage.

"They can be dangerous in those situations, and South Korea must minimize those set pieces in the first place," Lee said. "The central defenders must be on their toes when the opponents send crosses."

South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo tinkered with his lineup in the team's final two friendlies before the big tournament, using two almost entirely different lineups in wins over Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador. Lee noted that teams typically have their best XI all set this close to the World Cup, and he was "a little concerned" about chemistry issues in the early going for South Korea.

Ultimately, though, Lee said he trusted the coaching staff.

"The staff must have had enough conviction in the team to have those experiments in the friendly matches," Lee said. "I am sure they believed that they could still play well in the tournament even with all that juggling."