ex-national coach
Klinsmann becomes national coach of South Korea
Will be national coach in South Korea: Jürgen Klinsmann. photo
© Soeren Stache/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Jürgen Klinsmann is back on the big football stage. The 1990 World Champion takes over a national team for the third time. He is to lead South Korea to the 2026 World Cup.
The football cosmopolitan Jürgen Klinsmann now has a job in Asia: almost three years after the failed adventure with Bundesliga club Hertha BSC, the former national coach takes over the head of the South Korean national football team.
Klinsmann is to lead the two-time Asian champion to the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in his adopted home of the USA, as well as in Mexico and Canada. Accordingly, Klinsmann was given a contract by the South Korean Football Association (KFA) until the 2026 World Cup final. This became known in Seoul. No information was given about the financial terms of his contract. The native Swabian, who succeeds the Portuguese Paulo Bento, is scheduled to make his debut on March 24 in the international match against Colombia.
“I am very happy and honored”
“I am very happy and honored to be the head coach of the Korean national team,” Klinsmann was quoted as saying by the association. He also feels honored to be following in the footsteps of great coaches from Guus Hiddink to Paulo Bento. The former Germany international said he would do his best to achieve good results in the upcoming Asian championship and at the 2026 World Cup.
Under Dutchman Hiddink, South Korea finished fourth at the 2002 home World Cup shared with Japan. At the last World Cup in Qatar, South Korea had reached the round of 16 when they lost to record world champions Brazil. Then Bento had announced his departure.
For Klinsmann, who was described as a German football icon in the South Korean media, this is now his third job as national coach. From 2004 to 2006, the 1990 world champion looked after Germany and led the DFB team to third place at the home World Cup. From July 2011 to November 2016, the now 58-year-old ex-professional was the US national coach. The DFB wished Klinsmann every success via Twitter.
At club level, Klinsmann last worked as a Hertha coach until February 2020, which ended in a big misunderstanding. There he resigned after only three months because of disagreements with the club management. Most recently, Klinsmann worked for the world association FIFA as a member of the technical study group at the World Cup in Qatar.
Excellent reputation
As a coach, Klinsmann now seems intent on making a successful comeback “by producing meaningful results in his capacity as coach of the Korean national soccer team,” wrote the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, which has the highest circulation. Klinsmann had an excellent reputation as a footballer.
Klinsmann is expected in the South Korean capital next week, said a spokeswoman for the KFA. Then the decision about the composition of his future assistant team should be made together with Klinsmann. At the beginning of January, the South Korean association promoted the 57-year-old Michael Müller, who had previously worked in the youth team of the German Football Association (DFB) and at SV Darmstadt 98 and 1. FC Kaiserslautern, to technical director.
The South Korean newspaper “Ilgan Sports” reported that Klinsmann’s willingness to live in South Korea during his future coaching role played an important role in Klinsmann’s selection. The place of residence was Müller’s most important criterion for the selection of the coach. Bento also resided in South Korea and watched the local K-League games to spot and observe new players for the national team, it said. In January, Müller named further selection criteria: specialist knowledge, experience, motivation and the ability to work in a team. The new coach must also be able to identify with the team philosophy.
After the opening international match against Colombia, Klinsmann and his new team will face Uruguay on March 28 in Seoul. After that, South Korea will take part in the Asian Cup from June 16th to July 16th. The tournament will take place at World Cup hosts and defending champions Qatar.
