Following South Korea's disappointing loss to South Africa in the 2026 North America World Cup group stage, 2002 World Cup hero and broadcaster Ahn Jung-hwan has publicly criticized head coach Hong Myung-bo and the Korea Football Association. In a column published in the JoongAng Ilbo on August 25 and 26, Ahn described the performance as the 'worst' and 'devastating' among the three matches played in the tournament. He emphasized that the coaching staff and the association need a complete overhaul, stating that individual player effort cannot be blamed for the lack of tactical direction. | Following South Korea's disappointing loss to South Africa in the 2026 North America World Cup group stage, 2002 World Cup hero and broadcaster Ahn Jung-hwan has publicly criticized head coach Hong Myung-bo and the Korea Football Association. In a column published in the JoongAng Ilbo on August 25 and 26, Ahn described the performance as the 'worst' and 'devastating' among the three matches played in the tournament. He emphasized that the coaching staff and the association need a complete overhaul, stating that individual player effort cannot be blamed for the lack of tactical direction.