South Korea's World Cup exit a shock; football cartel must be dismantled

South Korea's men's national football team has failed to advance to the 32-team knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, marking a historic first in a tournament expanded to 48 participating nations. The team, touted as a "golden generation" with stars like Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae, delivered a surprisingly lethargic performance throughout the competition.

The final match against South Africa was particularly disappointing, prompting a reporter to question if the players had suffered from collective food poisoning due to their lack of energy. The article points to a lack of leadership and tactical deficiencies from head coach Hong Myung-bo as primary reasons for the dismal outcome. Hong's previous tenure in the 2014 World Cup also ended in a group stage elimination.

Further criticism is directed at the Korean Football Association (KFA) for reappointing Hong in 2024, a decision marred by allegations of procedural irregularities and a lack of fairness. A government audit revealed that an unauthorized individual recommended the final candidate, the interview process was opaque, and the board's approval was a mere formality after the decision was made. Similar issues plagued the appointment of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann, where the KFA's strengthening committee's role was undermined, and Chairman Chung Mong-gyu personally conducted candidate interviews.

The article argues that the KFA's autocratic and undemocratic decision-making, represented by Chairman Chung, is the root cause of this World Cup failure. Despite numerous controversies, Chung was re-elected for a fourth term, a move attributed to the continued influence of the Hyundai family and a network of connections centered around a specific university. While Chung has pledged to step down after the World Cup, the article questions whether this will dismantle the established cartel within Korean football.

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I am having trouble finding an easy answer as to why our performance was like that in yesterday's match.