"Sincerely sorry to the people"... Hong Myung-bo, who fell to 34th place, steps down [2026 FIFA World Cup]

News1 [Financial News] Although he stood firm despite the disappointing public opinion, the moment the harsh report card dropped, there was nowhere left to retreat. Hong Myung-bo, the head coach of the South Korean national football team who caused the painful disaster of failing to advance to the Round of 32 at the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup, ultimately shouldered the entire responsibility for the failure and sadly stepped down from his post.
On the morning of the 29th (Korean time), just one day after the team's elimination from the group stage was finally confirmed, Coach Hong stood before the press at the national team's base camp (Chivas Verde Valle) in Zapopan, Mexico, and announced his sudden voluntary resignation.
Speaking with a somber expression, Coach Hong bowed his head and said, "I sincerely apologize to the people of Korea. As of today, I am stepping down from my position as the head coach of the national team. " He then left a heavy farewell, saying, "Although I am stepping down from my position, I have not abandoned my heart for South Korean football. I will sincerely cheer from the sidelines for our national team to grow into a team that once again receives the full trust and love of the people.



Yonhap News He also defended his firm philosophy regarding the pouring criticism over the controversy over his lack of tactics and his method of selecting players.
Coach Hong emphasized, "Over the past two years, I have always asked myself the question, 'Is this choice for the sake of South Korean football?'" He added, "I never let go of that question, whether making important decisions, selecting players, preparing for training, or playing matches. " He firmly emphasized, "Of course, I cannot say that every judgment was always right. However, the standard for all my decisions was always 'Korean football'.
" Originally, Coach Hong's official term was set to last until the Asian Cup scheduled for January 2027. However, amidst the worst humiliation of failing to even reach the Round of 32 in this World Cup, which was significantly expanded to 48 nations, he has suffered the disgrace of an early resignation with about half a year remaining in his term.

Yonhap News South Korea, which was in Group A of the tournament, finished in third place with a dismal record of one win and two losses. They got off to a strong start by defeating the Czech Republic 2-1, but dug their own grave by suffering consecutive losses to Mexico (0-1 loss) and the weakest team, South Africa (0-1 loss). Ultimately, they were pushed down to 10th place in the nail-biting competition for third place in each group, ending the tournament in a disappointing 34th place.
For Coach Hong personally, it is a painful repetition of history. Having stepped down from the helm at the 2014 Brazil tournament with a dismal record of one draw and two losses, he became the first person in history to take the national team's helm and lead the team in two World Cups, but he could not avoid the cruel outcome of group stage elimination on both occasions.



News1 Looking back, it was a thorny path that was far from smooth from the start.
Controversy over unfair internal appointment erupted during the process of taking the helm in July 2024, and he suffered the humiliation of being called as a witness to parliamentary inquiries on pending issues, as well as facing a boycott by angry football fans. Despite showing tenacity by passing the final Asian qualifiers undefeated (6 wins, 4 draws) amidst cold public opinion, the team's performance, shaken by heavy defeats in friendly matches against Brazil (0-5) and Ivory Coast (0-4) just before the finals, ultimately led to a disaster on the main stage.
Hong Myung-bo, the "eternal libero" who had traversed the World Cup grounds no fewer than seven times as a player, coach, and manager, was a legend who shared in the brilliant glory of Korean football. Leaving behind the worst results in history and an angry public sentiment, he met the most miserable and bitter exit under the Mexican sky.

jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter