Hong Myung-bo Quits as South Korea Coach After WC Exit

New York: Hong Myung-bo resigned as South Korea’s head coach on Sunday following the team’s disappointing group stage exit from the FIFA World Cup. Hong announced his resignation at the team’s training camp in Guadalajara after Saturday’s results confirmed that South Korea had failed to qualify for the round of 32 and missed out on a place among the tournament’s top eight third teams. “Today, I would like to step down as head coach of the South Korea national football team. Accepting this role has never been an easy decision for me,” Hong Myung-bo said, according to Reuters. he said. “However, after making this decision, I did not think of any other reason. I believed that my only duty was to fulfill the responsibility given to me to the end.” Hong was appointed as Juergen Klinsmann’s long-term successor in July 2024 and guided South Korea to a record 11th consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance.

Expectations were high for the South Korean team, which boasts stars such as Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae, with many backing their advancement from a group consisting of co-hosts Mexico, the Czech Republic and South Africa. The Koreans started with a 2-1 victory over the Czechs, but losses against Mexico and South Africa left them needing results in other groups to advance to the next stage of the competition.