As South Korea's chances of advancing to the Round of 32 diminish, calls for a comprehensive review of the Korea Football Association's (KFA) coaching selection process and operational system are growing.
According to soccer statistics firm Opta on June 26, South Korea's probability of reaching the Round of 32 has plummeted from 87.6% to 54.45%, a drop of over 30 percentage points.
In this tournament, which has expanded to 48 teams, the top two teams from each group and the top eight third-placed teams will advance to the Round of 32. Currently, South Korea ranks sixth among third-placed teams, and its advancement could be jeopardized depending on the outcomes of remaining matches.
South Korea's position has significantly weakened in just one day. Group F's Sweden drew 1-1 with Japan, securing four points and surpassing South Korea in the third-place rankings. Ecuador from Group E also defeated Germany 2-1, earning four points. Paraguay from Group D has also accumulated four points, placing them ahead of South Korea.
The fate of South Korea now hinges on the results of the final group stage matches. Egypt must defeat Iran in Group G, and Spain must win against Uruguay in Group H. A draw in the Senegal-Iraq match in Group I would also favor South Korea. Additionally, results from Groups J, K, and L will impact South Korea's chances of advancing. As Hong Myung-bo's team cannot secure advancement on their own, fans are left watching other countries' matches for hope.
Alongside the team's poor performance, accountability for the KFA is being increasingly scrutinized. The process of selecting head coach Hong Myung-bo has come under fire, particularly after it was revealed that Lee Im-sang, the KFA's Technical Director, met with Hong late at night to offer him the position, leading to criticism dubbed the 'Bakery Agreement.' An audit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also pointed out procedural issues, but the KFA maintained that the process was fair, facing backlash from soccer fans.
Chung Mong-kyu, president of the KFA, acknowledged during a National Assembly audit in 2024 that the selection process was “not entirely perfect,” but insisted there were no major issues. When lawmakers demanded the submission of meeting minutes related to the coaching selection, he responded, “I don’t remember,” further fueling the controversy.
If South Korea fails to advance to the Round of 32, criticism of the KFA is expected to intensify. Former player Ahn Jung-hwan wrote in a column for a newspaper that the match against South Africa showed a lack of tactical awareness, stating, “Ultimately, it is the coach who builds the team. Regardless of the results, the responsibility lies with the coach based on performance.” He added, “Unless everything is completely cleaned up, these issues will continue to recur,” urging that if mistakes were made, the KFA must undergo a complete overhaul.
Soccer analyst and sports statistics expert Shin Moon-sun also criticized the situation on CBS Radio's 'Park Jae-hong's One-on-One' on the night of June 25, stating, “Today’s disaster was predictable,” and questioned whether the applications from foreign coaches led to a fair process. He remarked on the absurdity of how Hong Myung-bo was appointed, calling it a laughable Korean-style method.
Shin further asserted, “Korean soccer is rotten to the core,” and questioned whether anyone anticipated the brand value of soccer would plummet to this extent. He emphasized the need to change the mindset that Korean soccer belongs to us, or the Hyundai family, calling for transformation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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