Hundreds of Mexican soccer fans partied outside the South Korean embassy in Mexico City on Wednesday, 27 June, to thank the East Asian country for its victory over Germany, which guaranteed the national team a spot in the knock-out stages of the World Cup.
After Sweden beat Mexico 3-0 on 27 June, Mexican fans offered their support to South Korea, worrying that a victory by Germany would send their players home.
South Korea stunned the world by defeating Germany 2-0 with two goals in the final minutes of the game, ensuring the former world champions were eliminated, allowing Mexico to finish second on the group.
Though South Korea itself was knocked out, Mexicans flocked to the embassy to celebrate the team.
As she waved a South Korean flag outside the embassy, Gladys Ison, a 19-year-old Mexican, said:
Thank you so much, (Koreans) are awesome. They are awesome.
Traffic came to stop around the embassy in the capital's upscale Lomas de Chapultepec neighbourhood as jubilant fans cheered and drank tequila, mobbing the Korean diplomats and singing Mexican soccer hymns.
A fan carrying Counselor Park Sun-tae on his shoulders chanted “Korean, brother, now you’re Mexican!”
The consul general at the embassy, Byoung-jin Han, said, "There's no distinction between Mexicans and Koreans today. We're celebrating together." Mexican staff at the embassy were crying with joy, he added.
Waving the flags of both countries and sporting sombreros, a loud group of fans partied on an old fire truck, honking and drinking tequila.
Johan Lindblom, 47, a Mexico City-based businessman originally from Stockholm wearing a Sweden shirt was relieved that both teams had progressed. "A final between Sweden and Mexico, that would be the ultimate," he said.
Celebrations spread to the historic center of the capital, where World Cup games are being shown on giant screens. Mexican fans mingled with Asian tourists, and TV footage showed one Asian man laughing as he was being flung into the air and caught by the crowd.
Memes spread across social media, including one that showed the Mexican and Korean flags combined as one.
Maybe it is not the best way of getting through, but we’re through. We are very grateful.Pablo Gonzalez, Mexico Fan
(For the complete FIFA World Cup 2018 coverage, click here.)
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