Paulo Bento, the former head coach of South Korea's national soccer team, called for a fundamental overhaul after the squad's early elimination at the North American World Cup, its worst-ever result, saying it "is not a problem that can be pinned on one or two people."
In a video interview with Yonhap News released Monday, Bento said, "It is important to go all the way back to the beginning, clearly acknowledge each person's responsibility, and go through a process of rebuilding from scratch, from one to ten." He said he had watched the group-stage matches and diagnosed that the eliminated Korean team needed a structural review.
The team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, finished the tournament with one win and two losses, ranking 34th out of 48 nations and failing to reach the round of 32. Korea started with a 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic in its first match, but lost 0-1 to host nation Mexico and then fell 0-1 to South Africa, resulting in early elimination.
Bento said, "Expectations must have grown after the first match," and added, "Korea's second-half performance was impressive. But in soccer, upsets can happen at any time." He continued, "What matters is how you accept failure and move forward."
Bento, who led the Korean team for about four years from 2018, cited "trust" as the key driving force behind the round-of-16 run at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. "At the time, the trust between the players and the coaching staff was very solid," he said. "The process in which the coach creates the team's tactical identity and the players believe in it and follow it is more important than anything." He recalled, "We trusted each other even in difficult moments, and that faith led to results like the match against Portugal."
On the other hand, he indirectly expressed concern about the recent management of the national team, stressing the need for "consistency." "After I left, Korea went through four managers in four years," he pointed out. "Building a style of play and a philosophy requires sufficient time." He added, "This is something the Korea Football Association must examine when considering its future direction."
He also urged, "Every member must soberly reflect on their own responsibility and role, and overhaul the entire system."
Meanwhile, Bento showed unwavering trust in captain Son Heung-min (LAFC). "When a team is in trouble, one or two people cannot solve all the problems," he said, while adding, "Sonny is the player with the finest professionalism among all the players I have coached." He continued, "He will overcome this pain and prove his worth once again."
