KBS commentator Lee Young-pyo did not spare praise for England's "poster star" Harry Kane's selfless, dedicated play.
Lee Young-pyo and caster Nam Hyun-jong, who called the live broadcast, saw England defeat host Mexico 3-2 in a fierce, back-and-forth match in the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA North and Central American World Cup on the morning of the 6th (Korean time), advancing to the quarterfinals. This thrilling match, which was unpredictable until the end, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 2.2% (Nielsen Korea) and held the top spot in World Cup broadcast ratings in its time slot.
On the day, pre-tournament favorite England and Mexico, buoyed by a strong "home advantage," engaged in a tight contest throughout the first half. The balance was broken in the 36th minute of the first half. England seized control as Jude Bellingham exploded with multi-goals in quick succession in the 36th and 38th minutes, making it 2-0.
At the center of this "two-minute storm" was Harry Kane's brilliant playmaking. Commissioner Lee Young-pyo marveled at Bellingham's first goal, saying, "If Kane had tried to score himself, he wouldn't have cut into the space like that," and caster Nam Hyun-jong also praised their fantastic coordination, saying, "Kane acts as a Decoy." When Kane's perfectly measured assist led to Bellingham's second goal, the commissioner said, "Kane had a direct scoring opportunity, but he crossed to Bellingham, who was in a better position," and lauded his "selfless play," saying, "Watch how he doesn't get greedy and lays it off."
Mexico's counterattacks were formidable as well. In the 42nd minute of the first half, Quiñónez's consolation goal ignited the chase. In the ninth minute of the second half, England faced a major crisis when defender Jarell Quansah was sent off for a rough tackle, but in the 15th minute of the second half Kane calmly converted a penalty to extend the lead to 3-1. Mexico closed the gap to 2-3 with an additional goal from Raúl Jiménez in the 24th minute of the second half, but they could not break through England's physical defense played with 10 men.
After the match, Commissioner Lee Young-pyo applauded the high level of play, saying, "Although the final score ended 3-2, this was a match without losers. It continues to be a game deserving of applause from football fans of both countries." Caster Nam Hyun-jong raised fans' heart rates again by previewing another all-time big match, saying, "England will now face Erling Haaland's Norway in the quarterfinals." Meanwhile, Norway's upset over pre-tournament favorite Brazil and Brazil's round of 16 match, despite airing at an early hour, also took first place with a 1.4% viewership rating.
[Photo] KBS
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