▲ Head coach Hong Myung-bo and players celebrate after the match against the Czech Republic on June 11 (local time).
"Both as a player and as a coach, it took 12 years to get my first win."
Having come full circle to lead his first World Cup victory in 12 years, head coach Hong Myung-bo reflected on the achievement with deep emotion.
The South Korean national football team, led by Hong, secured a 2-1 comeback victory against the Czech Republic in their first Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 12 (Korea Standard Time) at the Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico.
It is a victory 12 years in the making.
After being recognized as a leading young manager in Korean football by guiding the men's team to a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, his career took a sudden downturn following a disastrous campaign of one draw and two losses at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
However, Hong did not run away, continuing on his path despite the critical gaze of some fans.
He gained administrative experience as the executive director of the Korea Football Association (KFA) and received positive reviews.
He then took the helm of Ulsan HD (then Ulsan Hyundai), delivering the club's first K League title in 17 years.
He followed that up by leading the team to back-to-back league titles.
Hong took charge of the national team once again in July 2024, embarking on another challenge on the World Cup stage.
And with a thrilling victory in the opening match, he redeemed himself from the disappointment of 12 years ago.
Speaking at a press conference after the match, Hong said, "I am personally very happy to have secured my first World Cup win as a coach," adding, "But this victory was made possible by the players who worked incredibly hard today," giving them all the credit.
He continued, "Even as a player, it took 12 years to get my first World Cup win. I first played in the 1990 tournament in Italy. In the end, my first win came 12 years later at the 2002 Korea-Japan tournament."
Using the failure of the Brazil tournament as a lesson, Hong prepared meticulously for this tournament.
Unlike the Brazil tournament, where he repeatedly relied on the same players, he actively utilized young players such as Oh Hyeon-gyu (Beşiktaş), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), and Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City).
One of the reasons cited for the failure during the Brazil tournament was the late administration of yellow fever vaccinations.
Ahead of this tournament, he formulated plans to adapt to the high altitude of Guadalajara, seeking extensive advice from experts.
Prior to arriving in Guadalajara, the team set up a pre-tournament camp in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States, training for over a fortnight to adapt to the high altitude.
Hong evaluated, "I believe the high altitude ultimately had a significant impact. I saw with my own eyes that the Czech players' physical stamina dropped significantly in the second half. On the other hand, our players pushed the opponents harder physically during that period. We were more aggressive," adding, "It had a very positive effect for us."
The hero of the victory was undoubtedly Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), who recorded multiple attacking points by scoring the equalizer and assisting Oh Hyeon-gyu's (Beşiktaş) winning goal.
Praising Hwang, Hong said, "I was thinking of playing him for about 60 minutes, but he showed a strong will to play longer. As a result, he even created a dramatic moment, which was a huge help to the team."
Regarding Oh Hyeon-gyu, who came on as a substitute and scored on his World Cup debut, Hong commented, "He was a prepared card. He put in a lot of effort and showed a great performance."
He did not let his guard down regarding their next opponent, Mexico.
"I saw them playing with immense support from their home fans, and it will be a very heavy burden for us," Hong said. "However, since we have already played in this stadium once, it is somewhat of a relief in that regard."
He added, "Both teams secured three points today. Now, the next match has become extremely important for both us and our opponents."
South Korea will continue their group stage campaign with their second match against Mexico at the same venue on June 19 at 10 a.m., followed by their third match against South Africa at the Monterrey Stadium on June 25 at 10 a.m.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.