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Paulo Bento during his tenure as head coach of the Korea National Football Team. / Courtesy of Yonhap News

The race to appoint the next head coach of the Korea National Football Team is heating up as high-profile managers, including former Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors manager Gus Poyet (Uruguay), former Korea head coach Paulo Bento (Portugal), and former Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez (Spain), express interest in the position.

The consensus leans heavily toward considering foreign leaders for the next national team head coach. With domestic candidates such as FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong and Gwangju FC manager Lee Jung-hyo reportedly expressing difficulty in leaving their clubs mid-season, attention has naturally shifted to international managers.

In particular, the conclusion of the 2026 North America World Cup has led to a flurry of national team managers stepping down, flooding the market with top-tier candidates. Given the domestic sentiment desiring an illustrious leader for the squad, the Korea Football Association now enjoys a much wider array of choices.

The figure expressing the most active intent for a comeback is former head coach Bento. Currently unattached, he recently led the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national team in the Asian World Cup qualifiers but was dismissed after only reaching the playoffs. Having a deep understanding of Korean football with his backroom staff still intact, pundits evaluate that his return would ensure a seamless continuation of his signature build-up football style.

Manager Poyet is also considered a strong candidate. He had shown intense interest in the Korean national team job even before the appointment of manager Hong Myung-bo, signaling his willingness to take a pay cut at the time. After subsequently taking the helm at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and leading them to a "double" with both the league and Korea Cup titles in just one year, he is reportedly still eager to manage the national team. Korea is facing the Asian Cup ahead, which kicks off next January in Saudi Arabia.

Manager Martínez has emerged as a fresh face in the candidate pool. He resigned from the Portugal national team after a round-of-16 exit at the North America World Cup. According to Star News, a source familiar with national team matters shared that Martínez has shown interest in the Korean managerial post. He is regarded as a top-class manager with extensive experience guiding Wigan Athletic, Everton, and the national teams of Belgium and Portugal.

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Gus Poyet, who led Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to a league title last year. / Courtesy of Yonhap News

                                                                                                         Cheon Hyun-bin