The Korea Football Association (KFA) has officially denied a report that former national team coach Paulo Bento applied for the vacant head coaching position.
According to the KFA on Thursday, no procedures, including the acceptance of applications, have begun regarding the coaching position. "The claim that coach Bento applied is not true," an association official said, dismissing the report.
Earlier that day, several media outlets reported that Bento had applied for the next national team coaching job and that other foreign coaches were also showing interest.
The head coaching position is currently vacant following the resignation of former coach Hong Myung-bo. Hong stepped down after the team posted its worst result, a group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America.
The KFA's National Team Strengthening Committee held its first meeting on Monday and began discussions to appoint a successor. At the time, the association said, "Overall discussions were held taking into account the A-match schedule, the presidential election schedule, and Asian Cup preparations," pledging to review the matter from multiple angles.
Bento led the South Korean national team from 2018 to 2022, guiding the squad to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Following the team's first away round-of-16 finish in 12 years, fans gave him the nickname "Ben-abeoji" (Ben-father) and showed him deep trust.
At the time, Bento hoped to extend his contract and stay, but left the team after failing to narrow differences with the association over the contract period and other issues. He subsequently led the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national team until 2025, and there was also a report that he received a formal offer as a candidate to coach Uzbekistan ahead of this World Cup, though he was not ultimately appointed.
After South Korea's group-stage exit at this World Cup was confirmed, Bento called for a complete rebuilding of Korean football in an interview with Yonhap News. "This kind of situation is usually not a problem that can be blamed on one or two people," he said, stressing that "the process of looking back and rebuilding from scratch, from 1 to 10, is important."
In particular, he pointed to the lack of continuity as a key challenge, noting that four head coaches, including caretakers, had been replaced in the four years since his departure. "For a coach to build trust with the players, maximize their strengths, and establish a firm style of play, sufficient time must be given," Bento said.
