Coach Hong Myung-bo, who stood firm in all kinds of 'outdoor winds', is facing the consequences of the 11th consecutive World Cup finals, and the transition to the North-China-U.S. system for the 'goal of the round of 16 or higher'
Coach Hong Myung-bo, who stood firm in all kinds of 'outdoor winds', is facing the consequences of the 11th consecutive World Cup finals, and the transition to the North-China-U.S. system for the 'goal of the round of 16 or higher'
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Public sentiment was fierce. There was no truth. There was a vicious cycle of confirmation bias, in which people only see what they want to see, hear what they want to hear, and believe what they want to believe. The world was so harsh. A year has passed like that. However, Hong Myung-bo was never swayed.
"There is no unending journey." He had only one pain in his life as a leader. It was the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which failed to advance to the round of 16. The other was joy. He made it to the quarterfinals at the U-20 World Cup for the first time in 18 years in 2009, and the first bronze medal in the history of Korean soccer in 2012. He returned to the ground after a long comma, giving Ulsan HD in the K-League its first win in 17 years and a two-game winning streak since its foundation. His ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup is also a legacy.
His fate changed in July last year. Coach Hong Myung-bo of the Korean national soccer team, who has endured severe hardships, has made another history. The Korean soccer team has set a new milestone in advancing to the World Cup finals for 11 consecutive times. The South Korean team won 2-0 in the ninth match of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup against Iraq on Sunday. His 11th consecutive finals appearance is the first in Asia, followed by Brazil (22), Germany (18), Italy, Argentina (14), and Spain (12). Korea has made it to the finals for the 12th time, the most in Asia, including the 1954 event in Switzerland.
It was not an easy journey due to draft dodging. He started off on a whirlwind. When he won his first match in enemy territory, he sarcastically said, "Players are red." After winning two consecutive games in October last year, the situation was subdued, but criticism rose again as the draw continued. When Japan and Iran confirmed their first trip to North Korea, China and the U.S. in March, criticism continued, and a sense of crisis heightened.
Iraq was a rough road ahead of the match. Captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) accompanied him, but failed to make the roster due to foot injury. Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), who is in poor physical condition, did not even call up his team. There were positive developments due to the opponent's exit, but he managed to secure victory through strong mercenary skills. Kim Jin-kyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai) and Oh Hyun-kyu (Henk Hyundai Motor) scored in the relay. Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who assisted Kim Jin-kyu's winning goal, was the key to his team's offense, and Jeon Jin-woo (Jeonbuk Hyundai), who made his A-match debut, scored his first offensive point by assisting Oh in his goal. Except for Lee Kang-in, all three players took the ground as replacements.
In the third qualifying round, the first and second place in each group will win a ticket to the World Cup finals. Having secured at least the second place in the group, Team Hong Myung-bo is ranking first in Group B with 19 points (five wins, four draws). As the Republic of Korea defeated Iraq, Jordan (score point 16, four wins, four draws, and one loss) also made it to the World Cup finals for the first time. Iraq with 12 points (three wins, three draws, and three losses) fell to the fourth qualifying round. Korean soccer is the only team that remains undefeated among 18 countries in the third qualifying round. Iran in Group A and Japan in Group C lost to Qatar and Australia, respectively, 메이저놀이터 in the ninth qualifying round.
The match is not over yet. Team Hong Myung-bo will have the final match of the third qualifying round against Kuwait (five points, five draws and four losses), the lowest ranking team in Group B, at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Hong will shift to a World Cup finals system starting with the match against Kuwait. The number of participating teams will increase from 32 to 48 starting with the North-China World Cup. If the team passes the group league, it will reach the round of 32. The round of 16, the best record for Korean soccer in away matches, has become even more difficult.