Jürgen Klinsmann becomes national soccer coach of South Korea

Dhe former national coach Jürgen Klinsmann will be the new coach of the South Korean national soccer team. A spokeswoman for the national football association said this Monday in Seoul, according to the national news agency Yonhap, his contract should run up to and including the 2026 World Cup. Klinsmann, who succeeds Portugal’s Paulo Bento, is due to make his international debut against Colombia on March 24.

For Klinsmann it is the 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 former professional was the US national coach. At club level, Klinsmann last worked until February 2020 as coach of the Berlin Bundesliga club Hertha BSC. Most recently, Klinsmann worked for the world association FIFA as a member of the technical study group at the World Cup in Qatar.

Klinsmann is expected in the South Korean capital next week, it said. At the beginning of January, the South Korean association had already promoted 57-year-old Michael Müller, who used to work in the youth team of the German Football Association (DFB), to technical director.

South Korea had reached the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar, when it was the last stop against record world champions Brazil. Bento then announced his departure. 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.