Hong Myung-bo Resigns as South Korea's Football Coach After World Cup Exit

Hong Myung-bo Steps Down as Head Coach

On June 29, in New York, Hong Myung-bo announced his resignation as the head coach of South Korea's national football team following their disappointing exit from the FIFA World Cup during the group stage.

The announcement came during the team's training camp in Guadalajara, where it was confirmed that South Korea would not advance to the Round of 32, failing to secure a spot among the eight best third-placed teams.

In his statement, Hong expressed, "Today, I wish to step down as head coach of the South Korean national football team. Accepting this role was never an easy decision for me."

He further added, "However, once I made that decision, I did not consider any other reasons. I believed my only task was to fulfil the responsibility entrusted to me to the end."

Hong took over the coaching role in July 2024, succeeding Juergen Klinsmann, and led South Korea to their record-extending 11th consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance.

With high hopes for a talented squad featuring stars like Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae, many anticipated their progression from a group that included co-hosts Mexico, the Czech Republic, and South Africa.

The team began their campaign with a 2-1 victory against the Czech Republic, but subsequent losses to Mexico and South Africa meant they were reliant on results from other groups to advance further in the tournament.