Incredible! The 8 teams that didn't help South Korea advance in the final round all failed to reach the Round of 16, and Korean media are ecstatic: "The Hong Myung-bo Curse"

As of July 3rd Beijing time, 13 matches of the World Cup Round of 16 have been completed. Interestingly, the 8 teams that didn't "help" South Korea advance in the final group stage round all stopped in the first knockout round, failing to reach the Round of 16.[Watch the World Cup on Migu Video]

These 8 teams areGermany, Japan, Austria, Senegal, Sweden, Algeria, Ecuador, and DR Congo.

In the final round, Germany was reversed 1-2 by Ecuador, helping the latter climb to 3rd place in the group and surpass South Korea for advancement. Japan drew 1-1 with Sweden, which allowed Sweden to edge out South Korea. Senegal defeated Iraq 5-0, advancing on goal difference over South Korea.

As for DR Congo, they came from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1, snatching one of the best third-place spots. In Group J, Algeria and Austria played out a convenient 3-3 draw in the final round, not only dashing South Korea's hopes of advancing but also ending Iran's dream of reaching the knockout stage for the first time.

However, all 8 teams lost to their respective opponents in the first knockout round. Germany suffered a shock penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay. Japan, DR Congo, and Senegal were reversed by Brazil, England, and Belgium respectively. Meanwhile, Austria, Sweden, Algeria, and Ecuador were comprehensively defeated by Spain, France, Switzerland, and Mexico.

In response, the well-known Korean media outlet Korea Football News published an article gloating: "The teams that failed to help South Korea advance to the top 32 in the final group round are now being eliminated one by one." Korean fans are calling this phenomenon "the Hong Myung-bo Curse".

Watch the World Cup on Migu Video. The 2026 USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup is in full swing. Watch all matches of the 48 teams on Migu Video.