World Cup 2018: Tequilas For Korea Republic As Mexico Fans Mob Embassy After German Upset

Mexico fans were left anguished on Wednesday by their team's drubbing by Sweden and they were cheering for South Korea as their last hope. They exploded into celebration when the Asian side defeated defending champions Germany, putting Mexico into the 2018 FIFA World Cup knockout stage. Mexico were brimming with optimism after they upset Germany in their World Cup opener and then beat South Korea. The fans back home in Mexico watched in horror as Sweden scored goal after goal in their final Group F match.

Re: Korea defeating Germany, thus allowing Mexico to progress to the next round--this video of Mexican fans bumrushing the Korean embassy in Mexico City to thank the ambassador personally, and forcing him to down tequila shots is so beautiful and perfect #KORGER pic.twitter.com/E1GeZCRrlK

— Very Stable Genius (@Rantaramic) June 27, 2018

The clock was ticking down at Yekaterinburg Arena and the scoreboard read 3-0 in Sweden's favour. It appeared Mexico were about to be sent unceremoniously home from Russia.

Unless, a winless South Korea somehow managed to avoid defeat by Germany.

Suddenly, all eyes turned to the South Korea-Germany match being played simultaneously in Kazan.

"Korea! Korea!" chanted fans in a Mexico City bar, leaping into the air and embracing when the Asian side scored a stoppage-time, VAR-assisted goal, and then a late second to seal the reigning champions' humiliating exit and allow Mexico to squeak through to the Round of 16.

"I went from crying to laughing," said Cecilia Gonzalez, a 22-year-old student who was celebrating the outcome of the rollercoaster ride with tequila.

"Thank you Korea. I don't even know quite where it is, but thank you, thank you."

Some fans even flocked to the South Korean embassy in Mexico City to celebrate, chanting that Koreans are "our brothers."

'Mexico let me down'

Social media in Mexico instantly erupted into memes: a Mexican in cowboy hat and boots dancing to "Gangnam Style," a fake news headline on Mexico changing its official language to Korean, Twitter users vowing to start listening to K-pop and watch more Korean dramas on TV.

As for their own team, the fans' disappointment was palpable.

"Mexico really let me down. My expectations were so high. They played so well in the other matches, it got my hopes up. But they didn't play like I thought they would," said 20-year-old student Cecilia Jimenez.

"Mexico played very, very badly. Luckily the Koreans did us a favor," said Alan Gonzalez, 29, a lawyer.

With its three goals, Sweden finished atop the group and will play Group E runners-up Switzerland.

Mexico are stuck playing Group E winners and five-time world champions Brazil.

Mexicans were left praying for their good luck to continue.

"It's been going well for us so far. We beat the world champions, that's not so easy," said Luis Padilla, 29, a cafe owner in Mexico City, voicing cautious optimism that the team would continue bringing happiness to the fans back home.

"This is a country that grinds to a halt for football. Football changes everything. It sets our national spirits," he said.

(With AFP Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Mexico Germany Korea Republic 2018 FIFA World Cup Football Korea Republic vs Germany, Match 41