Football Association dismisses rumors of former coach Bento applying for top job

The Korea Football Association has firmly dismissed circulating rumors that former national team head coach Paulo Bento has applied for the current vacant coaching position. Association officials stated that no procedures, such as receiving applications, have been initiated for the role.

These rumors emerged following South Korea's disappointing performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where the team was eliminated in the group stage under a previous coach. The head coach position has been vacant since the coach's resignation after the tournament.

The association's technical committee has begun the search for a new coach. Bento, who guided South Korea to their second-ever away Round of 16 appearance in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, was previously linked with coaching the UAE and is currently without a club.

Despite Bento's past success, the association emphasized that the rumors are unfounded. "We don't know where such talk came from," an official commented, adding that the head of the technical committee also found the claims baffling. No applications have been exchanged.