Jurgen Klopp criticised the tactical level of Mexico vs South Africa in the 2026 World Cup opener despite Mexico’s 2-0 win.
Klopp unimpressed by tactical level in World Cup opening match
Jurgen Klopp was among the high-profile figures present at the Azteca Stadium on Thursday for the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, but the former Liverpool manager did not leave particularly impressed by what he had watched. Mexico, one of the co-hosts of the tournament, began its campaign with a 2-0 victory over South Africa, yet the result was not enough to hide what Klopp saw as a poor tactical display from both sides.
The match had all the ingredients for a memorable World Cup opener. A packed Azteca Stadium, a home nation beginning its tournament, huge expectation in the stands and the emotional weight that always surrounds the first game of a World Cup. However, for Klopp, the spectacle in the stands was far stronger than the football on the pitch.
Speaking on German television channel ZDF, Klopp was direct in his criticism. The former Liverpool coach, now working as a director within the Red Bull football structure, felt that neither Mexico nor South Africa managed to produce football of the level expected in such an important match. His reaction was especially focused on the tactical decisions made during a chaotic game that included three red cards.
South Africa finished the match with nine players after having two men sent off, while Mexico also had one player dismissed. That created a strange and unbalanced final phase, with Mexico at one stage playing with two more men on the pitch. In theory, that should have given the home side greater control and more security. Instead, Klopp was surprised by how vulnerable Mexico still looked, particularly when they allowed South Africa to threaten on the counter-attack despite the numerical disadvantage.
For Klopp, that moment summed up the wider problem of the match. He argued that Mexico’s defensive line was positioned too deep, even when the game situation clearly demanded more control and a more aggressive structure. In his view, allowing counter-attacking opportunities when playing with extra men was a sign of poor organisation, poor reading of the match and a lack of tactical discipline.
“This situation, in a way, sums up the whole match. It was simply poor tactics! Neither team played well. Eleven against nine and then you get caught on the counter-attack. Why? Because the last line was too deep. That was a general problem throughout the whole game. South Africa did not take advantage of it at all. It was not a top-class match,” Klopp criticised.
The comments were typical of Klopp’s analytical style. While he has often been known for his passion, intensity and emotional connection with the game, his criticism here was not based only on entertainment value. It was mainly about structure. From his point of view, Mexico failed to manage the match properly, while South Africa did not have the quality or clarity to exploit the weaknesses that appeared in front of them.
Mexico still secured the victory, and in a World Cup opener that is always the most important objective. Opening matches can be tense, nervous and difficult to judge because the pressure is enormous. For a host nation, that pressure is even greater. The players are not only playing for three points, but also carrying the expectation of a country that wants the tournament to begin with optimism.
Even so, Klopp’s criticism suggests that the performance left many questions unanswered. Mexico won 2-0, but the manner of the victory was not fully convincing. Against stronger opposition, the defensive issues highlighted by Klopp could become a serious problem. A team with more quality than South Africa might have punished those spaces, especially during moments when Mexico appeared too passive with its defensive positioning.
South Africa, meanwhile, left the match with even more frustration. Playing with nine men made the final part of the game extremely difficult, but Klopp still felt there were moments when the team could have done more. His view was that Mexico gave them opportunities, but South Africa did not take proper advantage. That will be one of the major regrets for the South Africans, who now begin the tournament under pressure after a defeat and two red cards.
The match was also criticised by Christoph Kramer, the former Germany international who was working alongside Klopp during the broadcast. Kramer expected a much more intense contest, especially because of the atmosphere inside the stadium and the occasion itself. The Azteca is one of the most iconic venues in world football, and the opening game of a World Cup should normally bring energy, duels and emotional intensity.
However, Kramer felt that the match did not rise to that level. He admitted that the environment around the game was powerful, but the football itself failed to match it. The former midfielder said he expected the spaces to open up and the players to attack the duels with more aggression, but that never truly happened. Instead, he described the game as looking more like a charity match than a World Cup opener.
“You feel a very intense atmosphere and I expected that intensity and for the spaces to open up. I then thought they would focus on the duels, but that was not the case. It is great that they are playing there, but it looked more like a charity match,” Kramer said.
That comparison was a strong one, especially considering the importance of the fixture. World Cup opening matches are not always classics, but they usually set the emotional tone for the tournament. This time, at least from the perspective of Klopp and Kramer, the match offered drama through red cards and atmosphere, but not through footballing quality.
The criticism does not remove the importance of Mexico’s win. Starting a World Cup with three points gives the co-hosts immediate comfort in Group A and allows them to approach the next matches with more confidence. In tournament football, results often matter more than performances, especially in the first round. A team can improve as the competition progresses, and Mexico will hope this was simply a nervous opening step rather than a sign of deeper problems.
Still, the tactical issues pointed out by Klopp will not go unnoticed. A team that wants to go far in a World Cup must control different match situations: playing with the lead, playing with numerical superiority, defending transitions and managing emotional momentum. Against South Africa, Mexico achieved the result, but did not always show the maturity expected from a side playing at home and with a clear advantage on the pitch.
For South Africa, the defeat leaves a difficult path ahead. Losing the opening match is already a setback, but doing so in a game marked by disciplinary problems makes the situation more complicated. The two red cards could affect the team’s options for the next fixtures, while the performance itself will raise questions about composure, organisation and decision-making under pressure.
The other match in the opening round of Group A also produced an important result, with South Korea beating Czechia 2-1. That result adds another layer of pressure to the group, as Mexico and South Korea now begin with victories, while South Africa and Czechia already have ground to recover.
From a broader perspective, Klopp’s comments also reflect the high standards expected at a World Cup. The opening match is watched by millions around the world and is often treated as the first major statement of the tournament. When the football does not meet that expectation, criticism is inevitable, especially from someone with Klopp’s experience and tactical understanding.
His assessment was not about attacking the occasion itself. The atmosphere at the Azteca was clearly worthy of the World Cup. The problem, in his view, was that the match on the pitch did not live up to the setting. The stadium delivered. The supporters delivered. The tactical quality, however, did not.
Mexico will take the points and move forward, but the performance leaves room for improvement. South Africa will need to react quickly, both emotionally and tactically. As for Klopp, his verdict was clear: the World Cup may have started with colour, noise and drama, but in pure football terms, the opening match was far from first class.
