Ex-KFA Chief: Bento's Contract Unrenewed Due to Demand for Unconditional 4-Year Deal

Former Korea Football Association (KFA) president Chung Mong-gyu revealed that coach Paulo Bento's contract was not extended because the Portuguese manager demanded an unconditional four-year deal. Bento successfully guided the South Korean national team to the Round of 16 in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Chung made these remarks during a parliamentary audit hearing on November 30. He explained that Bento's insistence on a lengthy, unconditional contract extension was the primary reason negotiations failed. The KFA had been keen to continue with Bento after his World Cup success, but the terms proposed by the coach proved to be a sticking point.

Lawmaker Im Oh-kyung of the Democratic Party highlighted that the average tenure for the 18 coaches of the South Korean men's national team, from Guus Hiddink to Hong Myung-bo, was only 1.3 years. This statistic underscores the KFA's typical approach to coaching contracts, which often favors shorter terms, contrasting with Bento's demand for a four-year commitment.

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Bento insisted on an unconditional four-year extension, and we could not reach an agreement.