South Korea's men's national football team recorded eight wins, three draws and two losses in 2025 under coach Hong Myung-bo, but unconvincing victories against underdogs drew fan dissatisfaction. Recent wins over Bolivia and Ghana highlighted tactical issues and the absence of key midfielder Hwang In-beom, raising concerns ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Players urged focusing on team unity amid external criticism.
South Korea's national football team, ranked 22nd by FIFA and coached by Hong Myung-bo, ended 2025 with wins over No. 76 Bolivia (2-0) last Friday and No. 73 Ghana (1-0) on Tuesday. Hong emphasized results to secure their ranking and a favorable spot in next month's World Cup draw, but fans criticized the lack of convincing performances against underdogs.
The year started with 1-1 home draws against Oman and Jordan in the Asian World Cup third-round qualifiers, with Hong calling the Oman match "the worst performance" of that phase. They rebounded to win the next two and clinch World Cup qualification in June. In July's East Asian E-1 Football Championship as hosts, they beat China and Hong Kong before losing to Japan in the final. September friendlies in the US saw a 2-0 win over the United States—South Korea's most complete effort, with captain Son Heung-min scoring and assisting—and a 2-2 draw with Mexico.
An embarrassing 0-5 loss to Brazil on Oct. 10 at Seoul World Cup Stadium, attended by over 63,000 fans, highlighted vulnerabilities. The Oct. 14 2-0 win over Paraguay drew only 22,000 spectators, the smallest crowd in 10 years for a men's match. Tuesday's Ghana game in Seoul had about 33,000 fans, shockingly low despite chilly weather, as the Korea Football Association plans March tune-ups before the June tournament.
Since Hong's return in summer 2024, critics have pointed to tactical predictability and over-reliance on stars like Son and Lee Kang-in. November games suffered without midfielder Hwang In-beom, injured playing for Feyenoord; no replacement matched his defensive and creative prowess. Hong acknowledged Tuesday that midfield issues hampered the team against Ghana but predicted Hwang's World Cup return would resolve them.
Emerging leader Lee Kang-in, 24, said: "Football fans all have different perspectives... I can totally see why fans feel the way they do about our team. However, rather than paying much attention to those voices, we're all trying to help the team the best we can... we should concentrate more on making plays that benefit the team and on helping each other." Veteran Hwang Hee-chan, with 75 caps, called 2025 fruitful: "In football, results are really important, and we were able to produce the results we wanted this year... This camp brought us even closer as a team, and we've grown more confident... I can't wait for our next match window (in March)."