The Mexican national team, which has already secured first place in Group A, chose a rotation strategy of giving a large amount of rest to its main players ahead of the final match against the Czech Republic. Coach Javier Aguirre announced that 41-year-old veteran Guillermo Ochoa will be the starting player instead of starting goalkeeper Raul Rangel, and he plans to replace 5 to 6 field players, effectively operating a lineup close to the 'second team'. The Mexican team is actively supporting Ochoa's 6th World Cup appearance and showing off the team's united atmosphere, but this decision is very painful news for Korea and South Africa, who desperately need points to advance to the group stage. As there is a growing possibility that Mexico will not give its best against the Czech Republic, if the Czech Republic wins as a result, the scenario for Korea's advancement to the round of 32 will inevitably become extremely complicated.

The 'winner wins principle', which was applied for the first time in this tournament, completely shook up the competition for group stage rankings. In the past, when points were tied, priority was given to goal difference, but starting from this competition, when points are tied, head-to-head results are given priority. As a result, teams that have already secured first place, such as Mexico, will have their rankings fixed regardless of the results of the third game, but the competition between lower-ranking teams is becoming more intense and unpredictable. Some are raising concerns that this change in the system could undermine the fairness of the final group match. In particular, a big challenge facing this World Cup is that teams that play the third round of the group stage first may be at a disadvantage due to information asymmetry compared to latecomers.

Under these circumstances, the Korean national team was in a desperate situation where they had to focus all their efforts on the final match against South Africa. Korea can secure its advancement to the round of 32 on its own if it draws at least a draw against South Africa, but if it loses, it cannot be ruled out that it may be pushed to fourth place in its group depending on the results of the match between the Czech Republic and Mexico. The news of Mexico's participation in the second team will place a significant psychological burden on Korea, but coach Hong Myung-bo and the players are determined to prove themselves through their own performance rather than relying on external variables. Despite the hot weather and unfamiliar environment, the players are re-arming their mental strength and working hard to overcome the final hurdle in the group stage.

Meanwhile, downtown Mexico is experiencing an untimely measles due to the World Cup fever. After the victory over Korea, as many as 700,000 people poured into the streets and problems of excessive drinking and disorder arose, so the Mexico City city government took a proactive measure by temporarily banning the sale of alcohol in major areas of the city in time for the Czech Republic game. This is more than just an administrative measure, it is proof of how enormous an impact the sporting event called soccer has on the entire country. Mexican authorities consider safety a top priority and are making multifaceted efforts to maintain public order, such as expanding large screens to disperse crowds and strengthening enforcement personnel.