By Desmond Nleya
South Korea’s disappointing exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup has triggered widespread outrage, with President Lee Jae Myung demanding answers and national team coach Hong Myung-bo stepping down in the aftermath.
The Taeguk Warriors crashed out in the group stage after a shock 1-0 defeat to lower-ranked South Africa, missing out on a place in the knockout rounds despite opening their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Czechia. A subsequent loss to co-hosts Mexico left them needing only a draw against South Africa to advance, but they failed to deliver.
Coach Hong Myung-bo announced his resignation on Sunday, taking responsibility for the team’s poor performance. His decision came amid growing criticism over tactical decisions, particularly his controversial choice to leave captain Son Heung-min on the bench in the decisive final group match.
President Lee Jae Myung publicly apologised to the nation following the team’s elimination, blaming “incompetent people” for South Korea’s disappointing campaign and calling for a thorough investigation into what went wrong.
The World Cup exit has reignited long-standing criticism of the Korea Football Association (KFA), with many fans and former players demanding sweeping reforms.
Former South Korea captain Park Ji-sung said the disappointing outcome had been years in the making.
“We have to look back and ask ourselves why things have come to this,” Park said, adding that the country had forgotten many of the lessons learned from previous World Cup campaigns.
Lee Chun-soo, a member of South Korea’s historic 2002 World Cup squad, also called for major changes within the country’s football leadership.
“This is a message to change,” he said. “Everyone should be ready to step down.”
Much of the criticism has been directed at KFA president Chung Mong-gyu, whose 13-year leadership has faced repeated scrutiny. Chung had already indicated before the tournament that he intended to leave his post after the World Cup, citing his “lack of virtue” following years of public criticism.
The future of captain Son Heung-min also remains uncertain. The 34-year-old has previously hinted that he may retire from international football, although he has yet to comment following South Korea’s elimination.
South Korea’s national team is expected to return home on Tuesday, but unlike previous tournaments, local media report that no official public welcome has been planned.
The latest World Cup disappointment has intensified calls for a complete overhaul of South Korean football, with supporters insisting the country must rebuild if it hopes to compete consistently on the world’s biggest stage once again.
Source: Aljazeera
