Source: Yonhap News

South Korea’s World Cup dreams were shattered as their journey came to an abrupt end this year.

Led by coach Hong Myung-bo, the South Korean national soccer team wrapped up their campaign on June 28 (Korean time), finishing third in Group A with a record of 1 win, 2 losses, 3 points, and a goal difference of -1.

On the same day, the Democratic Republic of Congo secured their spot in the Round of 32 as the third-place team in Group K. They defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 at Atlanta Stadium, earning 4 points in the process.

The match saw Eldor Shomurodov open the scoring in the 10th minute, followed by Yoan Wissa’s penalty kick in the 68th minute, and Piston Mayele’s game-clinching goal in the 77th minute.

This expanded World Cup features 48 teams, with 24 spots in the knockout stage reserved for the top two teams from each group, plus the eight best third-place finishers.

Initially, South Korea only needed a draw against South Africa to secure their place in the Round of 32. However, a disappointing 0-1 loss left them at the mercy of other results. The Koreans found themselves in the unenviable position of watching nine other matches, needing three specific outcomes to advance.

The clash between Uzbekistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo was particularly crucial for South Korea’s fate.

South Korea’s only path to the knockout stage hinged on either an Uzbekistan victory or a draw between the two teams, ensuring Congo’s performance fell short of Korea’s.

However, Congo’s convincing two-goal victory over Uzbekistan effectively eliminated South Korea from contention.

Out of the nine matches South Korea was monitoring, only one result fell in their favor. Spain’s victory in Group H briefly kindled hope, but ultimately, no miracle materialized.

Before the World Cup kicked off, Hong Myung-bo’s squad was heavily favored to reach the Round of 32, thanks to a favorable group draw and schedule. After their victory against the Czech Republic, international media pegged South Korea’s advancement chances at nearly 90%. However, their shocking loss to South Africa, a team ranked 35 spots below Korea in the FIFA rankings, sent those odds plummeting.

The moment they squandered a golden opportunity and began relying on other teams’ results marked the beginning of their downfall.

Major media outlets like ESPN and BBC didn’t hold back in their criticism of South Korea’s puzzling tactics, particularly the decision to bench Son Heung-min.

ESPN didn’t mince words, stating, “The gamble to leave Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup backfired spectacularly. It’s baffling that they chose to bring him in when South Africa was coming off a rest.” The outlet repeatedly lambasted coach Hong Myung-bo’s decisions. Even neutral observers struggled to comprehend his strategy.

The Korean public’s reaction was equally scathing, with new terms like “begging soccer” and “please-do-it-for-us soccer” emerging to describe the team’s embarrassing performance.

This marks coach Hong’s second group stage exit in a World Cup, following the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

In the post-match press conference following the South Africa loss, Hong appeared at a loss, saying, “I’m not sure why we lost. Perhaps the environmental factors played a role. The move from Guadalajara to the sweltering Monterrey seemed to affect the players.” Regarding his tactics, he added, “Suddenly changing our approach wouldn’t have been good for the team.”

Hong’s contract was originally set to run through the 2027 Asian Cup. However, in light of this World Cup disaster, his future at the helm is now under intense scrutiny.