Head coach Hong Myung-bo said he was responsible after South Korea lost 1-0 to South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as his players failed to execute their game plans.
Head coach Hong Myung-bo held a press conference in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 26 and said environmental factors may have created problems. The players did not cover as much ground as in the Mexico match and had more high-intensity sprints, but there was no noticeable difference in conditioning.
Hong added that the combination of their mental state and scorching weather made things difficult. He said the team ended up in the worst possible scenario after finishing third in Group A with three points.
Hong defended captain Son Heung-min, who was benched at the start for the first time in his World Cup career. Hong said Son always does what he is supposed to do and it is tough when he is evaluated only on whether he scores. South Korea must now wait to see if they advance as one of the eight best third-place teams.
