South Africa Coach Claims He Doesn't Know Son Heung-min, Citing 'Difficult Names'

The head coach of the South African national football team, which is set to face South Korea in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, has sparked controversy by claiming he does not know the South Korean players, leading to speculation that he may be disrespecting the team.

The South Korean national team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, is scheduled to play its third Group A match of the World Cup against South Africa at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on June 25.

South Africa, ranked 60th in the FIFA rankings, is considered the weakest team in Group A compared to Mexico (15th), South Korea (25th), and the Czech Republic (41st).

However, the South African coach recently stated in an interview that he does not know the South Korean players well, citing the reason that "their names are too difficult."

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos reportedly said in the interview, "Honestly, I knew nothing about Korea at the time of the group draw. The only thing I knew about Korea was a Korean player I coached during my time at Anderlecht."

The player Coach Hugo Broos referred to from his time at Anderlecht is Seol Ki-hyeon, who participated in the 2002 World Cup.

Coach Hugo Broos continued, "I have researched the Korean team and its players over the past few months. But I don't know the Korean players well. It is because their names are too difficult."

While Hugo Broos was born in 1952 and is relatively elderly, some are criticizing his remarks as a provocation against the South Korean team, arguing that it is incomprehensible for him not to know Son Heung-min, who won the Premier League Golden Boot, or Lee Kang-in, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, a club that has won the UEFA Champions League for two consecutive years.

Meanwhile, Coach Hugo Broos did assess the team, stating, "I know how the Korean team plays," and added, "They are a physically strong and tough team."

Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Lee Hyun-ji | Graphics by Lee Jung-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.