Korean football's collapse exposed the cost of poor preparation

Korean football has just endured an abysmal World Cup performance. Korea's hopes of advancing to the Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 2026 were ended definitively at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday after the Democratic Republic of the Congo defeated Uzbekistan in the final Group K match. Although Korea's elimination had more or less been sealed following their loss to South Africa on June 25, fans endured several more days of false hope while waiting for results elsewhere. As Ecuador, Sweden and Senegal secured qualification and Korea relied on other third-place teams to stumble, supporters could do little but watch. The disappointment was all the greater because expectations for a summer lift through World Cup success had been so high.

Football, however, is unpredictable. Korea stunned Germany at the 2018 World Cup and defeated Portugal in 2022. Yet after every tournament, the national team simply changed managers without establishing a consistent football identity or long-term philosophy. This tournament laid bare the consequences. The comeback victory over the Czech Republic and the competitive performance against Mexico suggested promise, but the defeat to South Africa exposed shortcomings across the board, from player motivation and opponent-specific tactics to midgame management. The players appeared unusually passive, while gaffer Hong Myung-bo seemed almost detached despite his team's deteriorating position.

Japan, by contrast, has continued its steady rise. Once regarded as roughly Korea's equal, it adopted a long-term vision of winning the World Cup by 2050 and pursued that goal systematically. Concluding that at least 30 players competing in European leagues would be needed to challenge for a quarterfinal place, Japan encouraged players to move abroad even if that meant joining less glamorous leagues in the Netherlands and Belgium rather than Europe's biggest competitions. Japanese clubs also accepted lower transfer fees to facilitate those moves, prioritizing player development over short-term financial gains.

The World Cup is more than a sporting event. A nation's playing style, fan culture and collective identity are inevitably reflected on the global stage, while success can unite society in ways few other events can. Korea now needs sweeping reform, beginning with the replacement of Hong and changes in the leadership of the Korea Football Association, including its chairman, Chung Mong-gyu. The expectations surrounding the national team are too great to dismiss this as merely the concern of a single sports organization. Korean football must rebuild from the grassroots with sustained commitment, and the government should support that effort.