If the FIFA World Cup were a romantic comedy, Mexico and South Korea would be a story of strangers to lovers.
Even before the two teams met on the pitch, fans from both countries had already hit it off. On the streets of Guadalajara, supporters broke into an impromptu performance of “Gangnam Style,” greeting each other with chants of “BTS,” taking photos together and sharing videos of their celebrations on social media, as well as bottles of tequila.
That makes Thursday night’s Group A matchup a bit awkward. After all, good love requires conflict.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or it may have been deleted.
Mexico and South Korea go into the June 18 match with a lot at stake, but unlike most World Cup rivalries, there is an unusual amount of love in this match. Eight years after South Korea’s famous upset over Germany sent Mexico into the finals, fans from both countries have rekindled their friendship, resulting in one of the tournament’s most unexpected storylines.
There is also a slogan associated with this relationship: “Coreano, hermano, ya eres mexicano.” This means, “Korean brother, you are now Mexican.”
And if the videos flooding TikTok, Instagram Reels, and X are any indication, many fans seem to take it seriously.
Mashable Trend Report
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or it may have been deleted.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or it may have been deleted.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or it may have been deleted.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or it may have been deleted.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or it may have been deleted.
Some of that love can be traced back to the 2018 World Cup, where South Korea dominated Germany in the group stage. With this result, Mexico advanced to the final tournament, and the Korean player became an unexpected hero among Mexican supporters. Mexican fans famously gathered in front of the Korean embassy in Mexico City to celebrate and crowdfund beer for Korean fans. Eight years later, that friendship still remains. In fact, social media only reinforces it.
Now, that relationship extends beyond soccer. Mexico has become one of the largest markets for Korean pop culture outside of Asia, and K-pop artists regularly sell out arenas across the country. According to Spotify data, Mexico ranked fifth in the world in K-pop listening in 2025. So when Korean supporters arrived for the World Cup, many found themselves welcomed by fans who were already familiar with Korean music, food, and culture.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or it may have been deleted.
The reception wasn’t just online. Earlier this month, hundreds of Mexican supporters greeted the South Korean team as they arrived at a hotel in Guadalajara, a scene that quickly went viral on social media.
That love has become so evident that some supporters have half-jokingly suggested that the ideal outcome would be a draw, with both teams and fan bases going home happy.
Of course, goodwill is only communicated when the whistle blows. For at least 90 minutes, Mexico and South Korea will have to put aside their status as the World Cup’s friendliest rivalries and do what any tournament demands: beat each other.
“No matter who wins, that’s my team,” one fan told NPR before the game.
Most World Cup rivalries don’t work that way.
Source link
