South Korea have appointed Robert Moreno, former Spain national team coach, as interim manager following a disastrous World Cup campaign and mounting controversies surrounding the Korea Football Association (KFA).
Moreno, who will lead the team for friendlies in September and October, could also take charge at the 2027 Asian Cup, pending an evaluation of his performance. He becomes the first Spaniard to coach South Korea.
The KFA has been under fire since South Korea’s shock group-stage exit at the World Cup in North America, which led to the resignation of Hong Myung-bo. The association has faced public outrage, a police investigation into Hong’s appointment, and allegations of providing sexual entertainment for foreign referees.
Moreno, 48, previously managed Spain in 2019 and has coached Monaco, Granada, and most recently Sochi in Russia. Earlier this year, he denied Russian media allegations that he used AI tools like ChatGPT for match preparation, emphasizing his expertise in data and video analysis but insisting all decisions are made with his staff.
Moreno’s first matches will be home friendlies against Ecuador and Uruguay in September, followed by games against Venezuela and Uzbekistan in October. If further friendlies are scheduled in November, he will remain at the helm.
The KFA stated Moreno was hired after “an open recruitment process” as the federation seeks stability ahead of the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia next January.
