🇿🇦 South Africa vs 🇰🇷 South Korea

South Africa are at their first World Cup since 2010, when they hosted the tournament. A 16-year absence finally ended — and for a nation that gave the world the vuvuzela, this is a significant moment.

They're in Group A with Mexico, South Korea and Czech Republic. Qualifying isn't certain, but South Africa have the advantage of having played hard competitive matches in African qualifying. They're not underprepared.

The squad is built around Ronwen Williams in goal — who was the best goalkeeper at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and single-handedly kept South Africa in games they had no right to be in. Goalkeeper as most valuable player is a slightly sad distinction, but it's real.

South African football has faced real challenges domestically — the Premier Soccer League is less internationally prominent than other African leagues — but the national team's qualification suggests things are improving.

South African fans bring extraordinary atmosphere to games. The 2010 World Cup was arguably the most atmospherically memorable tournament in modern history. They will bring that same energy to their matches in North America, and it will be visible even on television.

Son Heung-min of Tottenham is their captain — one of the most complete forwards in world football, who'll be 34 by the end of the tournament. This is almost certainly his last major tournament. The whole country is aware of this and is watching accordingly.

South Korea famously co-hosted in 2002 and reached the semi-finals. It remains one of the great tournament shocks — though 'controversially' is a word that tends to follow any mention of it, so tread carefully there.

They're in Group A with Mexico, South Africa and Czech Republic. Mexico as hosts are the favourites to top the group, but South Korea reaching the knockouts is a realistic and respectable target.

Korean football has developed enormously over the last 20 years. Son plays for Spurs. Lee Kang-in plays for PSG. They're not a defend-and-counter team built purely on grit anymore — there's real technical quality in this squad.

The pressure on Son in Korea is extraordinary. He's a national hero, plays under intense public scrutiny, and every tournament game gets analysed in forensic detail by the Korean press. He handles it with remarkable grace, which is itself worth mentioning.