Hong Myung-bo has resigned as the head coach of the South Korea men’s national football team [1].
The departure follows the squad's failure to advance past the group stage of the 2026 World Cup held across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico [1]. This exit marks a significant disappointment for a program that entered the tournament with high expectations for its current generation of talent.
This marks the second time Hong has resigned from the national team role [1]. The decision comes amid mounting criticism regarding the team's lack of tactical direction, and the perceived failure of the Korean Football Association to manage the squad effectively [1].
Anchor Jo Jin-hyeok of YTN NewsUP said that the public is more outraged by the lack of a clear tactical plan despite having a "golden generation" of players, including Son Heung-min [1]. The perceived gap between the individual talent of the roster and the team's actual performance on the pitch became a focal point for critics following the elimination [1].
Football commentator Seo Hyung-wook said that a resignation typically signifies the end of an era for a national team [1]. He said that because the team failed to produce results in a massive tournament like the World Cup, the situation required a clean-up measure to close the current period [1].
Hong's resignation was discussed on YTN’s “뉴스UP” program, where analysts questioned who would take over the leadership of the squad [1]. The team now faces a transition period as it seeks a new manager to lead the national side forward after the group-stage exit [1].
“Hong Myung-bo has resigned as the head coach of the South Korea men’s national football team.”
Hong Myung-bo's second departure from the national team suggests a recurring struggle to align South Korea's elite individual talent with a cohesive tactical system. By stepping down as a 'clean-up' measure, Hong acknowledges that the failure to progress in the 2026 World Cup has created a deficit of trust between the coaching staff, the football association, and the public that cannot be resolved without a change in leadership.
