World Cup star has a funny pre-game habit that helped during their first match
A World Cup newcomer has a quirky pre-game habit that really paid off in his team’s first match.
South Korea had a great start on Thursday, coming from behind to beat Czechia at Akron Stadium in Zapopan, near Guadalajara.
Ladislav Krejci scored first in the 59th minute, but Hwang In-beom quickly tied the game eight minutes later.
Then, Oh Hyeon-gyu from Besiktas became the hero by scoring in the 80th minute with a close-range shot that thrilled everyone in the stadium.
The 25-year-old, who missed out on the World Cup four years ago in Qatar, had scored 18 goals for Genk and Besiktas in the 2025/26 season and now notched his first World Cup goal for South Korea, his seventh overall for the national team.
After the match, it came out that the ex-Celtic striker follows some interesting superstitions.
According to Korean news channel YTN, he always sits at the very front of the team bus and is the first to get off.
He also rolls up the left leg of his shorts halfway and wraps his right hand with tape before games—calling these his “own secret and routine” that he’s used for years.
But the most surprising ritual is that he walks barefoot across the pitch before games.
A video of Oh walking on the pitch in his Besiktas gear with no shoes quickly went viral online.
Only a few people were at Tupras Stadium to see this, with hardly anyone else on the field.
He’s not the only player to do this—former Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano once took off his boots and socks before stepping onto the Nou Camp pitch.
Mina explained why he does this ritual: “There’s a saying in my country: ‘Touch the ground you want to conquer with the sole of your feet.’ I always do it, and I hope to succeed here.”
South Korea’s next game is against the hosts, Mexico, who won their opener 2-0 against South Africa.
After his great performance coming off the bench in the first game, Oh will be hoping to start the next one.
He had a fever before the match but pushed through to help South Korea secure the win.
“It’s hard to put my feelings into words,” Oh said after the game.
“My temperature was 38 degrees, and I wasn’t sure if I could play. Thanks to all the staff and doctors, I was able to play and even score.
“Just playing in the World Cup is amazing, and I’m very thankful to Coach Hong Myung-bo for giving me the chance.”