Hong Myung-bo has resigned as South Korea manager following their group-stage elimination at World Cup 2026, becoming the fourth head coach to depart after disappointing performances in North America.
World Cup Campaign Falls Short
South Korea began their World Cup 2026 campaign with a promising 2-1 victory over Czechia, but consecutive 1-0 defeats to Mexico and South Africa confirmed their exit. The team failed to finish among the top eight third-place group qualifiers, ending with one win and two losses.
Many had expected South Korea to progress to the knockout rounds, and supporters reacted furiously to the early departure. A petition demanding Hong be removed from his position garnered significant attention.
President Calls for Investigation
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung expressed disbelief at the premature exit, calling for an investigation into the reasons behind it. At a press conference in Mexico on Sunday, Hong confirmed he would be stepping down.
"Even though I am leaving the national team, I am not abandoning Korean football altogether," Hong said. "I will cheer for the national team from the bottom of my heart and hope that the team will be trusted and loved by the people once again."
Fan Petition and Allegations
Supporters had lost confidence in Hong, as demonstrated by a petition demanding his resignation and an overhaul of South Korea's national team setup. The petition read: "The Korea Football Association's official selection process was effectively ignored, making it difficult to avoid criticism that the appointment was fundamentally illegitimate. Despite fielding what many considered the strongest squad in Korea's World Cup history, the team finished with one win and two losses, placing third in the group. The performance against South Africa was so lifeless that it could be regarded as one of the worst displays by a Korean team in World Cup history."
Hong's standing in South Korea fell so dramatically that he has reportedly been turned away from various shops and restaurants. President Lee's statement on X was equally damning: "I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome, I am utterly baffled. Once again, it has been proven that personnel decisions are everything. When loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence, and an incapable person is appointed as a leader, the outcome is as predictable as fire."
Second Spell Ends in Controversy
This was Hong's second spell in charge of the national side, having previously guided them to the 2014 World Cup before stepping down. His reappointment in 2024 triggered allegations of cronyism and a lack of transparency in the selection process from the Korean media, all of which Hong flatly denied.
He is the fourth manager to leave their position at this World Cup. Scotland's Steve Clarke and Uruguay's Marcelo Bielsa stepped down following their elimination, while Tunisia's Sabri Lamouchi was sacked rather than resigning like the other three.
