"Korea's energy" annoys coach Bruce.

Belgian Hugo Broos, the head coach of the South African national team, expressed his "respect for Korea" ahead of the match between the two teams in the third round of Group A in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

Broos said in a video posted by the South African Football Association on social media: "They run for 90 minutes, it seems as if they are connected to a power source before the match, and then when the power is cut off, they start running and continue that for 90 minutes." He added: "It's a tough team," urging his players to match this level of enthusiasm in their crucial match.

The Mexican national team leads Group A in the World Cup with six points, while the Korean team has three points, and both the South African and Czech teams have one point each.

The coach will miss the efforts of key midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who scored a penalty in the dying minutes to equalize for his team against the Czech Republic 1-1 in the last round, but he will be absent from Wednesday's match due to suspension for receiving a yellow card.

Broos said: "Honestly, this is a big loss for the team, as he plays a pivotal role in our style of play. He is a true leader on the field."