Yes, it really happened. During the first half of the 2026 World Cup Group A match between South Korea and Czechia, Czech midfielder Pavel Šulc had his jersey torn in a physical challenge with South Korean defender Lee Han-beom. The damage was significant enough that referee Amin Mohamed Omar temporarily stopped play and instructed Šulc to change shirts before the match could continue.

The unusual moment quickly went viral on social media, with outlets such as ESPN FC, Men in Blazers, and 433 sharing pH๏τos and clips of the ripped jersey.

According to reports, the incident occurred around the 25th minute when Lee Han-beom and Šulc were battling for position. The Czech team’s kit staff rushed a replacement shirt to the field, allowing the match to resume after a brief delay.

📸 The torn-shirt incident became one of the most talked-about moments of the first half, although the match itself ended with South Korea producing a 2–1 comeback victory after goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu overturned Czechia’s opener from Ladislav Krejčí.