Former national team player Ki Sung-yueng (Pohang Steelers) delivered pointed criticism of Korean football, which suffered the bitter disappointment of a group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup, saying, "Football people must wake up. We must reflect deeply."
On the 18th, a preview video featuring Ki Sung-yueng and actor Kim Kang-woo, his brother-in-law, was posted on the YouTube channel of tvN's variety program "You Quiz on the Block."
Ki said he had traveled to Mexico to watch the World Cup but returned home after seeing only the first match, against the Czech Republic. "Even when I was there, the mood was good, and people were talking about whether we would advance in first or second place," he said.
He added, "But when it ended like this, as a player who has been through it, it was very disappointing, and I fully understand the feelings of the disappointed public." He continued, "I think Korean football needs to undergo a lot of reform going forward."
Ki, saying "I am also a football person," added, "I wonder whether I really worked hard for Korean football, or did anything for it. These days I have really been thinking about it a lot." Ki appeared at the 2010 South Africa World Cup, the 2014 Brazil World Cup, and the 2018 Russia World Cup, where he led the national team as captain.
Meanwhile, the South Korean national football team failed to advance to the round of 32 at the World Cup, concluding the tournament with a disappointing result.
