Following a 1-0 defeat to South Africa, South Korea is experiencing a tense atmosphere at the 2026 World Cup, with coach Hong Myung-Bo under pressure.
The situation for the South Korea national team at the 2026 World Cup has become critical after their 1-0 defeat to South Africa. The result, suffered last Wednesday, left the team in a precarious position in Group A, jeopardizing their qualification for the Round of 16 and causing outrage among fans and the local press.
The setback, which marked the team’s second loss in the competition, concluded South Korea’s group stage participation with only three points. Now, the Asians face the difficult task of awaiting the outcomes of the other groups to determine if they still have a mathematical chance to advance as one of the best third-place teams in the tournament.
Pressure and Questions Over Performance
At the post-match press conference, the atmosphere was one of intense scrutiny. Korean journalists did not hold back criticism of the team’s performance, labeling the display “unacceptable.” Such was the discontent with the players’ lack of movement on the field that one reporter even questioned whether the team might have suffered from mass food poisoning before the match.
Coach Hong Myung-Bo quickly dismissed any health issues or external factors that could justify the poor performance, taking full responsibility for the negative result.
I had a strategy in mind. Whenever there are bad results like this, everyone can have their own opinion. But, on a global stage like this, I believe the result is truly the coach’s responsibility. Ultimately, everything falls on my shoulders.
Tactical Choices and Son Heung-min’s Bench Status
One of the most controversial points was the coach’s decision to leave star player Son Heung-min on the bench during the first half. The attempt to rest the forward for the second half, aiming to exploit the opponent’s physical fatigue, did not have the desired effect for the technical staff.
Hong Myung-Bo defended his match reading, arguing that the idea was to exploit space in the South African defensive system as the game progressed. However, the strategy did not materialize, and the lack of offensive efficiency was one of the decisive factors in the defeat.
Projections and World Cup Future
With the group stage concluded, the sentiment within the Korean delegation is one of uncertainty. The team now faces days of apprehension while observing the outcomes of matches in the other World Cup groups.
For Korean football, the risk of an early elimination represents a severe blow, especially given the expectations surrounding the squad. The coach, who admitted to making errors in the lineup, is now trying to maintain focus, although the team’s continued participation in the World Cup no longer depends exclusively on their own performance.