Coach Hong Myung-Bo resigns from South Korea after disappointing World Cup performance.
The 2026 World Cup has already delivered its first major surprises, and unfortunately for South Koreans, one of them was their national team’s early elimination in the group stage. Following this result, coach Hong Myung-Bo announced his resignation from the position, a decision he stated had been under consideration.
Hong Myung-Bo’s resignation materialized after a strong statement from South Korean president Lee Jae-Myung, who went as far as to label the coach “incompetent.” The pressure, already high due to the team’s subpar performance, increased considerably.
Farewell to the South Korean National Team
In an emotional press conference held at the Asian national team’s training center in Zapopan, Mexico, Hong Myung-Bo made a statement. “I sincerely apologize to everyone who loves Korean football and has always supported the national team. I intend to resign as national team coach today (Sunday),” declared the manager, who took the helm of the team in July 2024.
Frustrating Campaign
South Korea concluded their World Cup participation in third place in Group A, accumulating only three points. The team failed to qualify among the best third-placed teams that advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament. Their campaign was marked by an opening victory against the Czech Republic, followed by losses to Mexico and South Africa. This result represents a setback for South Korean football, as in their last five World Cup appearances, they had been eliminated in the group stage only once, in 2018. The country’s best World Cup performance was fourth place in 2002, when they co-hosted the event with Japan.