It Wasn't Just a Rumor! “The Atmosphere Really Is the Worst”: Koo Sung-yun Speaks After Returning to the National Team for the First Time in Six Years ... “There's No One in the Middle to Mediate”

[Financial News]  ‘Rumors of infighting within the national team had been rife, and even to the eyes of a veteran goalkeeper returning after six years, the atmosphere in the locker room was icy.’
The rumors of discord surrounding South Korea’s national football team, which has been beset by controversy under interim coach Robert Moreno, have been directly confirmed by a player as grounded in fact. National-team goalkeeper Koo Sung-yun (Seoul) made a pointed, deliberate statement about the recent tensions within the squad: “The bad atmosphere affected our performance.”
Immediately after Koo Sung-yun helped secure a 2-1 win for his team with a solid performance in goal against Jeju SK in a home match in Round 31 of the 2026 Hana Bank K League 1 at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 10th, he spoke with reporters in the mixed zone about the national team’s unsettled state.
South Korean football has lately been going through one turbulent period after another. During a four-match run of A internationals spanning September and October, key members of the “96 Line”—Kim Min-jae, Hwang Hee-chan and Hwang In-beom—caused a stir by suddenly hinting they would retire from the national team, then reversing course. More shockingly, reports poured in that there was internal opposition to the leadership of “captain” Son Heung-min (born in 1992), sparking what became known as the “factionalism controversy.”
Koo Sung-yun came on as a substitute in the friendly against Uzbekistan on the 6th, making an emotional return to A-international action for the first time in six years, since the match against Qatar in November 2020. Though he had returned to the national team after a long absence, the atmosphere he felt firsthand was cold.
Koo Sung-yun candidly admitted, “It’s true that the atmosphere in the national team isn’t good. It had been a long time since I was there, and I was busy just doing what I had to do, but I could feel that those things had happened internally while I was away.” He added, “This kind of bad atmosphere inevitably affects performance, too. I hope it changes to a harmonious atmosphere as soon as possible,” unable to hide his disappointment.
He also offered a solution for the unsettled national team. “It can’t be left to the leader alone to carry the team; an intermediary role guiding the youngest players from the middle is absolutely essential,” he stressed. In particular, he once again underscored the importance of the “middle line” with a half-joking but earnest remark: “I’m a 1994-born player, between Son Heung-min, who was born in 1992, and the players born in 1996. The national team urgently needs someone to mediate, so I hope they keep calling me up for that middle role.”
Meanwhile, FC Seoul, buoyed by Koo Sung-yun’s sensational saves, is on a tear. With the win, the team improved to 20 wins, 5 draws and 6 losses (65 points), pulling a full 18 points clear of second-place Ulsan HD (47 points). It needs just 7 more points to lift the K League 1 championship trophy.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter