Jurgen Klinsmann has been dismissed from his position as head coach of South Korea after serving for only 12 months. His departure comes on the heels of the team’s defeat in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup.
The 59-year-old German assumed the role in February of the preceding year and held a contract until the culmination of the 2026 World Cup.
South Korea’s defeat to Jordan in the Asian Cup on 6 February extended the nation’s 64-year quest for the title.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) voiced criticism of Klinsmann’s management, deeming a change “essential.”
Following their semi-final elimination in Qatar, fans, politicians, and the Korean media clamored for Klinsmann’s dismissal. Reports also emerged of discord among key players during the tournament.
Allegedly, South Korea captain Son Heung-min sustained a finger injury amid a disagreement with teammates during a team dinner preceding their unexpected loss to Jordan.
“Coach Klinsmann failed to demonstrate leadership that we expected from the national team coach, including game management, player management and work attitude, which elevate the competitiveness of the national team,” said KFA President Chung Mong-gyu.
After the defeat to Jordan, a team ranked 64 spots below South Korea at 87th in the global rankings, Klinsmann stated his intention to remain in his position.
Nonetheless, on Thursday, the National Team Committee, an advisory body of the KFA, proposed the dismissal of the former Tottenham and Bayern Munich striker, who secured the World Cup as a player with West Germany in 1990.
“We’ve reached a consensus that Klinsmann cannot exercise his leadership as national team head coach for various reasons and that a change of leadership is necessary,” said KFA technical director Hwangbo Kwan.
Klinsmann’s tenure has been marked by fan dissatisfaction, largely due to his limited time spent in South Korea, as he preferred to maintain his base in California.
Within his initial six months in the role, a Seoul newspaper calculated that Klinsmann had only spent 67 days in the country, a departure from the practice of previous foreign coaches who had all resided in the capital city.
While Klinsmann previously achieved notable success, leading Germany to third place in the 2006 World Cup and guiding the United States to the knockout stages in 2014, his most recent role before South Korea was a brief ten-week stint at Bundesliga side Hertha BSC four years prior.
Despite possessing a star-studded lineup featuring Son, Hwang Hee-chan from Wolves, and Lee Kang-in from Paris St-Germain, South Korea entered the Asian Cup as favorites but struggled to display creativity throughout the tournament.
They managed only one victory in regular time. In the second round, they were on the brink of elimination until a 99th-minute equalizer against Saudi Arabia salvaged their chances, ultimately leading to a penalty shootout win.
In the quarter-finals, they equalized against Australia in the 96th minute, and Son’s exceptional extra-time free-kick secured their place in the semi-finals.
However, their semi-final performance lacked offensive efficiency, failing to produce a single shot on target as they were unexpectedly outplayed by underdogs Jordan, who were subsequently defeated in the final by hosts Qatar.