While Losing, a Defender Was Substituted In... Lee Kangin's Lip Movements Revealed

"Jaesung Hyung, You Need to Come In Now," Interpreted

The match between South Korea and South Africa in Group A of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup third round was held on the 24th (local time) at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico. Yonhap News

Former South Korea national football team manager Hong Myung-bo has stepped down, taking responsibility for the team's elimination from the World Cup group stage. However, the brief statement he released has done little to quell the intense public backlash. Criticism continues to grow, with issues ranging from match management and player selection to internal communication all becoming intertwined.

Mismatches on the Field Exposed

A moment that clearly highlighted the lack of communication in Hong's squad was captured during the third Group A match against South Africa. As South Korea was trailing 0-1 and hopes for a win were fading, the broadcast showed Lee Kang-in and Hwang In-beom actively giving instructions to their teammates during a hydration break, making it appear as though the players were busier than the coaching staff. This led to interpretations that tactical messages were not being clearly delivered from the bench.

Another widely discussed scene showed Lee Kang-in urgently conveying his opinion to the coaching staff. Based on Lee’s lip movements, football fans interpreted that he was frantically requesting, "Jaesung hyung needs to come in now, if he comes in later, it’ll be too late." However, Lee Jae-sung ultimately never set foot on the pitch. This incident demonstrated the disconnect between the tactical needs felt by the players on the field and the decisions made by the bench, suggesting that tactical information was not being effectively shared within the team.

More Player Selection Controversies

There were several other incidents that highlighted disagreements over player selection and tactical management. On June 25, Kim Min-jae was substituted out in the 65th minute against South Africa. As he left the field, he was seen pointing at the pitch and shouting with both arms outstretched toward coach Kim Jin-gyu and others, prompting speculation that he was dissatisfied with the substitution. However, Kim later clarified that he was expressing his frustration about defensive spacing, not the substitution itself.

The decision to leave Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup also came under scrutiny. In the second group match against Mexico, Son started as the front-line striker but was replaced in the 56th minute without registering a goal or assist, sparking controversy. The situation escalated when goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu revealed that he only learned of this decision during the team meeting on the day of the South Africa match, raising further questions about the adequacy of internal information sharing.

Stubborn Adherence to a Three-Back System Even on the Brink

One of the central issues that followed the team throughout the tournament was the manager’s rigid tactical approach. Even in the closing moments of the match against South Africa, when a goal was desperately needed, Hong insisted on maintaining a three-back defensive system. In an even more puzzling move, instead of increasing the number of attackers when South Korea was on the brink of elimination and needed an equalizer, he replaced central defender Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich)—a key figure in defense—with another center-back, Park Jin-seop.

Ultimately, South Korea’s national football team was denied a place in the round of 32. With the tournament expanding to 48 teams, even the top 8 of the 12 third-placed teams in each group could qualify for the round of 32. However, South Korea, finishing third in Group A, failed to secure automatic advancement and also fell short of meeting the remaining qualification scenarios, leaving the team eliminated in disappointment.

Despite having a "golden generation" with the likes of Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, and Lee Kang-in—players active on top European stages—the team was knocked out of what was considered an exceptionally favorable group. As a result, strong calls for accountability were directed at former manager Hong. On June 29, Hong officially stepped down, taking responsibility for the team's failure to reach the round of 32.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.