Hong Myung-bo has resigned as the head coach of South Korea’s men’s national football team following their early exit from the World Cup group stage. His resignation came on Sunday, a day after the team’s elimination from the tournament.
The team had initially harboured hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds as one of the best third-placed teams, but these hopes were dashed on Saturday. This early departure has led to significant criticism within South Korea, prompting President Lee Jae Myung to call for an investigation into the reasons behind the team’s performance.
Hong apologised to fans on Sunday, stating that the responsibility for the team’s outcome rested entirely with him as head coach. He announced his resignation at a news conference held in Mexico.
Team’s World Cup Performance and Public Reaction
South Korea, ranked 32nd in FIFA’s men’s rankings, concluded their World Cup campaign with one win and two losses. They finished third in Group A, behind Mexico and South Africa, who are ranked 15th and 60th respectively. Their only victory was a 2-1 win against Czechia, while they suffered 1-0 defeats against both South Africa and Mexico.
The criticism intensified quickly after the team’s final match against South Africa on Thursday, which South Korea lost 1-0. Despite the loss, the team still had a chance to qualify under a new rule for the expanded tournament, which allows the eight best third-placed teams to advance. However, other teams’ final scores on Saturday ultimately led to their elimination.
Fans have largely attributed the team’s performance to Hong, who had been coaching the team for the past two years. The national team’s official fan club, Red Devils, issued a statement on Monday calling for Hong to leave the football world.
Presidential Condemnation and Coaching Controversy
President Lee expressed his bewilderment at the team’s unexpected outcome. In a post on X, he suggested that the early exit appeared to be a failure of organisation and personnel. Lee further commented that when favouritism and cronyism are prioritised over competence in selecting leadership, the result is predictable. He offered apologies to the public for the disappointment and stated that reforms in sports administration would be pursued.
Hong’s appointment as head coach had been a source of controversy from the outset. The former defender was a key figure in South Korea’s 2002 World Cup success, where he captained the team to a semi-final finish. However, his previous coaching stint in 2014 saw the team fail to advance beyond the group stage without a single win.
His reappointment in 2024 was met with significant backlash from many football fans and media, who viewed it as the football association’s old guard favouring a friend over other foreign-born candidates who had undergone a rigorous vetting process. Hong himself acknowledged that accepting the job was not an easy choice, affirming that all his decisions were made with Korean football in mind.
Following the resignation, local media reported that South Korea police are monitoring for security threats at Incheon Airport and other locations, after an online death threat was made against Hong regarding his return to Korea over the weekend.
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Source: bbc.com
