Unlike South Korea, which has established its base camp in Mexico to acclimatize to high-altitude conditions, the Czech Republic has been preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Ahead of their Group A opener on June 12, Czech players and coaches expressed strong confidence about their chances against Hong Myung-bo's side.
According to Czech public broadcaster CT, assistant coach Jan Suchopárek and defender Robin Hranáč spoke to the media following the team's first open training session at its base camp in Dallas on June 7. Both emphasized their determination to begin the tournament with a victory over South Korea.
The Czech Republic arrived in the United States shortly after defeating Kosovo 2-1 in a friendly in Prague on June 1. Having secured their World Cup berth through the European playoffs, the Czechs selected Dallas as their base camp after many preferred locations had already been reserved by other participating nations.
Before arriving in Texas, the team also stopped in New York, where it completed its final warm-up match with a 3-1 victory over Guatemala.
The squad's first public training session attracted a large number of supporters as part of FIFA's Community Training initiative, which allows fans to watch national teams prepare during the World Cup.
Following the session, Suchopárek expressed satisfaction with the team's condition and looked ahead to the clash with South Korea.
"Both we and South Korea are coming into the tournament in good form based on our recent friendly results," Suchopárek said. "It should be a very interesting match."
"All of our players are healthy. Today's training was conducted in a fantastic atmosphere, and we're very pleased with how it went. We'd like to thank all the supporters who came out to watch us. Hopefully this positive atmosphere continues and our performances continue to improve."
The Czech assistant coach also hinted at ambitions extending beyond the group stage.
"We will adapt our tactics according to each opponent, from the first match all the way through to the seventh," he said, referencing the possibility of reaching the World Cup final.
Defender Robin Hranáč also discussed the challenges posed by South Korea and identified captain Son Heung-min as the team's biggest threat.
"South Korea's attackers are very quick," Hranáč said. "But speed is also one of our strengths, so I think there will be a balance."
"The player we have to be most careful with is Son Heung-min. Everyone knows what kind of player he is."
One of the key storylines surrounding the match is altitude adaptation.
South Korea has built much of its World Cup preparation around acclimatizing to Guadalajara's elevation of approximately 1,600 meters above sea level. Hong's squad held a pre-tournament training camp in Salt Lake City, which sits at roughly 1,500 meters, before relocating to Guadalajara on June 7.
The Czech Republic, however, has taken a completely different approach.
Rather than spending an extended period at altitude, the Europeans plan to minimize their exposure by arriving in Guadalajara as late as possible before the match.
Hranáč explained the reasoning behind the strategy.
"We've prepared specifically for the altitude conditions," he said. "To reduce the effects as much as possible, we'll arrive in Guadalajara as late as we can."
"Personally, I was never afraid of it. I see it as a new challenge. In the end, mentality is what matters most. If you're well prepared, you can handle it and focus fully on the match."
While South Korea has prioritized physiological adaptation through weeks of altitude training, the Czech Republic appears to be placing greater emphasis on mental readiness as it prepares for one of the most intriguing opening matches of Group A.
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