South Korean soccer fans angered by the country’s World Cup first-round exit greeted the returning squad early Tuesday with one message for head coach Hong: his time was up.
Hong, a former national team defender, resigned on Sunday after South Korea finished the group stage with one win and two losses, dashing hopes of a deep run led by captain Son Heung-min.
South Korea crashed out after failing to qualify for the knockout stage as one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed teams.
The Round of 32 had appeared within reach until a shock 1-0 defeat to lower-ranked South Africa in their final group match ended their campaign.
Hong walked silently out of the arrival gate at Incheon International Airport under heavy media scrutiny, declining to answer reporters’ questions.
Fans booed and chanted “Hong out!” as he made his way out of the airport, but applauded the players who followed behind him.
“Thanks for all your hard work!” one fan shouted as the players emerged, in stark contrast to the jeers aimed at Hong.
Police cordoned off a route extending from inside the terminal to the waiting bus outside, as several dozen protesters gathered nearby.
“South Korean football is dead,” read one banner held aloft by fans who had waited for hours at Incheon International Airport.
“Hong, you must quit,” the crowd chanted, beating drums to amplify their protest.
Hong’s post-match admission that he was struggling to understand what had gone wrong did little to stem the criticism.
And his Sunday resignation did little to satisfy Kim Gi-mo, who came to the airport to voice his frustration.
“I question whether his resignation was sincere, given his attitude when he made the announcement,” Kim told AFP. “He ruined this festival that only comes once every four years. I came here to see the person responsible for that.”
Questions had already lingered over the Korea Football Association’s 2024 decision to appoint Hong to be in charge, with critics arguing the selection process lacked transparency even before the World Cup campaign unravelled.
The KFA did not organize an official welcome ceremony for the returning squad.
It was not the first hostile reception for Hong.
In 2014, angry supporters threw Korean sweets at the team after they returned from Brazil, where they were eliminated in the group stage during Hong’s first spell as national team coach.
South Korean media had labelled the 2026 squad a “golden generation”, featuring internationally established players such as former Tottenham Hotspur captain Son, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in.
Expectations were high, with many fans believing the team could reach the Round of 16, particularly as the tournament was widely expected to be Son’s last World Cup.
The captain turns 34 next month.
But Hong’s decision to leave Son on the bench in the first half for the decisive match against South Africa baffled and angered many supporters.
“I was very shocked that he benched Son against South Africa,” Song Min-kyung, a 20-year-old university student, told AFP at the airport. “I think that was the beginning of everything that went wrong at this World Cup.” (JapanToday)
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